ABUJA — The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has embarked on a three-day nationwide peaceful protest in response to a series of tragic accidents involving trucks owned by a cement company, which have led to deaths, injuries, and growing outrage among students and residents in Auchi, Edo State.
In a statement issued by its Action Committee Public Relations Officer, Usman Dende, the association said the protest, which began yesterday and is expected to end tomorrow, was borne out of frustration after repeated accidents involving the company’s trucks left a trail of casualties. The demonstration, according to NAPS, is aimed at compelling authorities and stakeholders to take decisive action on road safety and ensure justice for those whose lives have been shattered.
The association recalled that on August 12, Miss Ruth Otabor, a recent graduate of Auchi Polytechnic, was involved in a ghastly accident with one of the company’s trucks. The incident left her with devastating injuries that eventually led to the amputation of her leg. Barely five days later, on August 17, another accident linked to the same company’s vehicle occurred, claiming three lives and leaving several others, including students, with varying degrees of injuries.
For NAPS, these repeated tragedies have gone beyond isolated road mishaps. The student body expressed concern that the increasing number of accidents involving articulated trucks reflects a deeper failure in safety enforcement, driver training, and regulatory oversight. The group emphasized that while road crashes are an unfortunate reality in Nigeria, the frequency and pattern of these particular incidents demand urgent interventions from both the government and the companies involved.
Dende explained that the students had initially sought dialogue with relevant authorities and company representatives but were left with no choice other than to take to the streets after their calls for stronger commitments to safety were met with little action. He stressed that the peaceful protest was not merely about lamenting past accidents but about securing guarantees that such tragedies will not continue unchecked.
The students are calling for a holistic approach to the crisis, which, in their view, must include accountability for negligent drivers, support for the victims, and infrastructural improvements in student-populated areas where these trucks ply regularly. They also insist that survivors such as Miss Otabor, who has now been left permanently disabled, and others still battling injuries deserve not only medical support but also sustained livelihood assistance to rebuild their lives.
As the protests continue across several states, NAPS maintained that it would not back down until tangible measures are taken to protect students and other road users. The association urged the government to prioritize the safety of its citizens over corporate interests, warning that continued neglect could spark even more widespread demonstrations in the coming weeks.
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