12 students killed on excursion

Johnson Babajide, Lokoja - 06.07.2008

Twelve students of the Government Secondary School, Lokoja, Kogi State, on Saturday lost their lives in a ghastly auto crash, while returning from an excursion.

The students, who were members of the Tourism club of the school, were said to be returning from an excursion to the Mount Palfi, about 1,500 feets above sea level before they met their death.

The excursion, which was said to have been organised by a corps member teacher of the school had 25 students of the school in attendance.

Tragedy however struck when the driver of the vehicle reportedly switched off the engine of the vehicle which led to the steering of the vehicle locking automatically, whch led to a fatal accident.

Twelve out of the 25 students were said to have died on the spot. And the breakdown of the casuality lists revealed that 11 girls and a boy lost their lives.

Survivors of the accident were said to have been taken to the Medical Centre, while the driver of the vehicle absconded. Meanwhile, the state governor, Alhaji Idris Ibrahim has ordered that the injured students be given urgent medical treatment, while a committte will be set up to investigate the remote cause of the unfortunate incident which has thrown the state into mourning.