Three students and a staff member of the University of Cross River State were killed in a road crash along the Calabar-Itu Road Highway, Cross River State, when a bus conveying them collided with a container truck on Friday night.
The accident occurred in Odukpani Local Government Area. The victims were returning from an official assignment in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The university, in a statement on Saturday, said 24 students, mostly members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) executive, were involved in the crash.
The institution confirmed the deceased as the SUG Director of Sports, Solomon Uya; a Chemistry student and President of the Faculty of Physical Sciences Students’ Association, Lucky Erim; Favour Darlington of the Department of Educational Management; and Anthony Arikpo, a staff member, who drove the vehicle.
Onen Onen, the university spokesperson, said in a statement on Saturday that the Vice Chancellor, Francisca Bassey, has expressed shock over the incident and has extended condolences to the families of the deceased.
The statement added that Ms Bassey, alongside the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Stella Maris-Okey, visited the injured students at different hospitals to ensure they were receiving adequate care.
The university said it is closely monitoring their recovery.
Police speak on the crash
In a statement, the police spokesperson in Cross River, Sunday Akata, said the crash occurred at about 9:25 p.m. on Friday at Ikot Okon along the highway and involved a container truck and a coaster bus that was carrying the students.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the coaster bus was reportedly conveying passengers believed to be students… when it was involved in a collision with the container truck,” Mr Akata, an assistant superintendent of police, said.
He said one victim died at the scene, while another later died in hospital.
According to the police, injured victims were evacuated to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited in the morgue.
The police added that the truck driver fled the scene and that efforts were ongoing to apprehend him.
In a separate statement, the Students’ Union Government of the University of Calabar described the incident as devastating, noting that “lives full of promise have been suddenly cut short.” It announced the suspension of social activities on campus for one week in honour of the deceased.
The Calabar–Itu Highway, which the federal government has been reconstructing since 2021, remains in a deplorable condition, with frequent accidents and prolonged traffic congestion.
Travellers have repeatedly described the road as a death trap, with some forced to spend hours or even nights on the highway due to gridlock caused by its poor state.