In a heartbreaking incident that has sent shockwaves through Nigeria's nursing community, six final-year students from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) lost their lives in a fatal road crash while traveling to sit for their examinations. The accident occurred on the Suleja-Abuja Expressway on February 22, claiming the lives of the students, their driver, and an unborn child, as one of the victims was heavily pregnant and nearing her due date.
The victims, all women in their 500-level of the university's Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Bachelor of Nursing Science program, were registered nurses who had been juggling demanding jobs with their studies. They were en route to Ogbomoso in Oyo State for face-to-face facilitation and semester exams when their vehicle was reportedly crushed by a trailer in Kwara State, leading to the devastating outcome. Sources indicate the students were expected to resume academic activities on February 23, but the tragedy struck just a day prior, turning what should have been a milestone journey into an unimaginable loss.
Eyewitness accounts and initial reports suggest poor road conditions and the program's requirement for travel to a single exam center may have contributed to the risks faced by these dedicated professionals. The Nigerian Nurses Forum and the Elegant Nurses Forum have both issued statements expressing profound sorrow, highlighting the victims' commitment to advancing their careers despite the challenges. "These were hardworking women balancing family, work, and education. One among them was on the verge of motherhood—it's a double tragedy that words can't fully capture," a forum representative noted in a public release.
Tributes have poured in from across the country, with fellow students, healthcare workers, and the wider public sharing prayers and calls for action. Anger is mounting over the centralized testing system that forces long-distance travel, especially on Nigeria's often hazardous highways. Advocacy groups are now pushing for decentralized exam options and urgent infrastructure improvements to prevent such needless losses in the future.
As of this reporting, two of the bodies have already been laid to rest amid emotional ceremonies, while families and the LAUTECH community continue to grapple with the grief. ReportNaija extends its deepest condolences to the affected families and urges authorities to prioritize safer educational and transportation frameworks for all Nigerians.