An 18-seater bus, overloaded with 31 secondary school students on an escortion, nose dived into the valley of the Mount Patti near Lokoja, capital of Nigeria’s Central Kogi state, killing 12 of the students in the process, according to local press reports Sunday. Some of the students, according to the reports, died when the bus driver, apparently on top speed, lost control and plunged into the valley instantly killing eleven students. The 12th student died in the hospital. According to the driver’s assistant, simply called Mr. Christian, who said that he had to jump out of the bus when he noticed that the breaks of the vehicle were faulty, confirmed that the driver was speeding down the mountain when he lost control. “He (the driver) switched off the engine in a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, but all was too late,” Christian said. A doctor at the Lokoja Federal Medical Centre, Iduh Joseph, said the hospital had taken in 20 injured students but lost one during treatment. Dr. Joseph confirmed that of the 19 receiving treatment, some had their hands and legs broken.
Reports said the Principal of the school claimed he was not not aware of the students’ venture to the mountain. But it was, however, gathered that some members of the National Youths Service corps, under the name Coppers’ Tourism club, led the students to the mountain without the knowledge of the Principal and their parents. The students reportedly did not assembly in the school before the trip. They wer e said to gone on the trip directly from their homes. Incidentally, reports say, the corps members did not travel with the students in the same bus. Mount Patti is 1,500 metres above the sea level. Meanwhile, the state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, has set up an investigation committee to look into the cause of the accident. The governor, while consoling parents and relatives of the victims, said the state government would foot the medical bills of the victims.
