Ten people, including a pregnant woman, were confirmed dead in a fatal accident that occurred in Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State.
Eyewitnesses said the crash happened when a truck lost control and veered off the Owo–Akungba–Ikare Akoko Expressway, crashing into roadside shops and killing several people instantly.
A resident explained, “The truck driver lost control, swerved off the road, and rammed into the shops, crushing many. We can’t tell how many are trapped under the vehicle, but at least five were already confirmed dead at the scene.”
The Ondo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Samuel Ibitoye, confirmed that the truck, loaded with bags of cement, lost control after running into a barricade near Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA), Akungba-Akoko.
According to him, “No fewer than eight people died in the crash — five men, two women, and one male child.”
He urged motorists to always check their vehicles before travelling and to obey all traffic rules to prevent avoidable accidents.
In a statement, the Public Relations Officer of the AAUA Students’ Union Government (SUG), Akinibobola Ajidagba, said the truck — reportedly owned by the Dangote Group — suffered a brake failure while descending from the Ikare axis, destroying the permanent barricade at the university gate.
“As it stands, nearly ten lives have been lost in this tragic incident. The Students’ Union has repeatedly appealed to authorities to stop heavy-duty trucks from plying the Akungba road because of the danger they pose to students and residents,” Ajidagba stated.
He urged students to remain calm, maintain order, and stay off the highway while authorities handle the situation.
The bodies of the deceased have since been moved to the morgue of the state hospital in the university community.
Attempts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, were unsuccessful, but a police officer who spoke anonymously described the crash as “deeply tragic and heartbreaking.”
