By Stephen Adeleye
Kogi residents on Tuesday decried the incessant auto crashes along Felele Highway in Lokoja that usually claim many lives.
The residents appealed to the federal and state governments to direct the relevant agencies to urgently fix the damaged portion of the road.
Some of the residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja, made the pleas following Monday’s ugly auto crash involving an articulated vehicle and a shuttle bus of Federal University Lokoja (FUL).
The fatal accident, which occurred at Felele Quarters along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Road, claimed seven lives, including five students of the Federal University, Lokoja, while another sustained serious injuries.
The traditional ruler of Lokoja, Chief Emmanuel Dauda-Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, expressed his deepest sadness over the tragic incident, describing it as “one accident too many”.
The traditional ruler appealed to the government and relevant stakeholders to urgently look into the incessant accidents along the Felele axis and take the necessary actions as quickly as possible.
“We use this ugly incident to call on the government to urgently look into the incessant accidents involving trailers on our highways.
“This is not the first time, nor is it the second, third or even the fifth. It should not continue. Therefore, we are calling for drastic government actions as quickly as possible.
“The government should consider building service lanes on both sides of the highway on that axis as well as the introduction of flyovers, where necessary, in order to reduce local traffic on the highway.
“In the same vein, we appeal for stricter traffic measures and improved road use education by the relevant authorities, as several road users lack ethical knowledge for proper conduct on the roads,” he said.
The royal father appealed to the road users to be more careful by considering other road users.
He added: “It should not necessarily be about rights on the roads but ultimately about safety.
“The commuters also should always caution the drivers when they notice any form of recklessness, because such recklessness may affect all.
“We all have the responsibility to make our roads safe and our trips smooth. Let us therefore play our parts.”
On his part, Idris Miliki-Abdul, the executive director of Conscience for Human Rights and Conflicts Resolution (CHRCR), told NAN that the tragic accident was becoming worrisome.
According to him, many people lost their lives innocently in avoidable occurrences.
“The Felele Community hosts Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State Polytechnic and an international market, which makes it vulnerable to high vehicular and human traffic.
“The federal and state governments should put their heads together to urgently stop the constant loss of lives and property along Felele Highway.
“We extend our condolences to those who lost their loved ones on Monday,” Miliki said.
Also speaking, Mr Ukwunetu Ali, a Nigerian Correctional Service officer, stressed the need for the government to construct a bye-pass bridge at Felele in order to avert such regular accidents around the area.
He urged government to look into the causes of the road crashes to avert further accidents in the area.
Mr Tope Aloko, a motorist and staff of FUL, who expressed his deepest sadness over the tragic accident, said the carnage was avoidable if the necessary precautions were put in place.
He appealed to the government to do the needful to end the needless loss of precious lives of students on a monthly basis. NAN
