Auto crash claims 4 FUTA students' lives

Four students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, died in a road accident on the Akure-Ilesha expressway in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State on Saturday.

The spokesman of the Police Command in Ondo State, Mr Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident and said that 11 others sustained various degrees of injuries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students were returning from Ibadan after attending a religious programme.

No fewer than 15 students were in the Hiace bus when the accident happened.

The police spokesman said that preliminary investigation had revealed that the accident involved a Hiace bus carrying the students and a motorcycle.

``The accident happened when the bus' driver lost control while trying to avoid the motorcycle that suddenly appeared on the highway.

``The bus somersaulted several times after trying to manoeuvre its way,’’ Joseph said.

He said policemen and marshals of the Federal Road Safety Commission were at the scene to assist the deceased and those injured.

Mr Segun Oladele, President of the FUTA chapter of the Students' Union Government (SUG), who also confirmed the deaths, said that those injured were responding to treatment.