by Isi Esene

A trailer loaded with granite on Friday smashed into a vehicle conveying students of the Federal College of Education, Osiele, along Abeokuta- Ibadan road killing three. One of the students died in the vehicle while the two others were waiting for a bus at the gate of the federal institution.

Students of the school immediately trooped to the streets marching from the school gate to the Police Headquarters at Elewe-eran to make thieir grievances known to police authorities. They chanted war songs, obstructed traffic, and burnt tyres as they continued their procession.

According to the Nation Newspapers, the protest was later hijacked by street urchins who began to attack innocent people and damage their property.

The National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) threatened to return to the street on Monday if no positive action is taken by the state government. The students demanded a law which restricts heavy duty vehicles from passing through busy streets during the day and that truck drivers must be compelled to adhere to a safe speed limit to forestall a re-occurrence of Friday’s tragedy.

They promised to occupy all quarry sites in the state and make life unbearable for the trailer operators.

The Police Public Relations officer (PPRO), Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the situation had been brought under control.

The Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, recently passed a law which restricts the activity of some heavy duty vehicles to certain periods of the day or face heavy fines if such laws were violated. The students are earnestly hoping his Ogun State counterpart, Govenor Ibikunle Amosun would follow suit.