Six secondary school pupils and two others from Kano State on Tuesday died in an accident on Iroko Road via Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. And yesterday, a water tanker crushes two school kids to death in Ilorin, capital of neighbouring Kwara State.

The Oyo accident was said to have occurred as 16 pupils and their teachers were returning to Kano after representing the state in a quiz competition in Lagos.

Seven of them were said to have died on the spot; one of the nine rescued died few hours after arriving at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has condoled with his Kano State counterpart, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

He described the incident, which also reportedly claimed the life of the driver, as depressing.

The governor visited the eight survivors at UCH’s Accident and Emergency ward, where he offered to pick their bills.

Ajimobi was received by the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Temitope Alonge, and Kano State Commissioner for Health Kabir Ibrahim, who was said to have arrived in Oyo State with an aircraft to take the bodies to Kano.

Ajimobi, who was in a sombre mood, comforted the victims, wishing them speedy recovery.

The governor said: “This is most unfortunate and depressing to me and the people.

“My heartfelt sympathy goes to Governor Ganduje, parents, the families and other victims. May their gentle souls rest in peace.

“They are children and we all have children. So, we have to empathise with them. I want to use this opportunity to announce that we will settle the bills and take adequate care of the survivors.

“I have spoken with the Kano State governor. He is a friend and a brother because we are all Nigerians. I have assured him that the survivors will get the best medical attention here at the UCH.”

Ajimobi said he was confident that the UCH management will do everything possible to ensure that the survivors were back on their feet as soon as possible.

The CMD said six of the pupils and a teacher would require further examination and surgeries.

He added that two others were in critical condition and would be subjected to round-the-clock observation.

In the Ilorin incident, which occurred at about 11:00 a.m., the cause is said to be brake failure of the truck, which made the vehicle to ram into the school children walking along the road leading to Ipata Market.

It was gathered that one of the children died on the spot, while the other later died while being attended to by Good Samaritans at the scene.

Eyewitness account also disclosed that the third child sustained serious injuries, and was said to be receiving treatment at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), while the fourth kid escaped with minor injuries.

The state sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Sunday Maku, who confirmed the incident, said investigations had commenced.

It was also gathered that a melee ensued as the youth around the area destroyed the vehicle beyond repair while the driver was said to have escaped the mob action.

Eyewitness account also said the children were JSS 1 students of the Government Day Girls’ Secondary School, Oke Suna, Ilorin, who were said to have been sent on an errand by one of their teachers to buy milk in the Ipata Market located around the school.

•Based on reports from The Nation and Nigerian Tribune. Photo by Photo by The Nation shows the bus after the accident that claimed eight school children near Ibadan . . . on Tuesday.

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