Two students of the Niger Delta University (NDU), Amassoma, have died following a tragic road crash involving a commercial tricycle and a truck along the Yenagoa/Amassoma Road in Bayelsa State.
The accident, which occurred on Wednesday near a notorious bend on the route, also left other passengers in the tricycle critically injured. Eyewitnesses and residents attributed the incident to excessive speeding and the absence of road signs along the stretch.
According to eyewitnesses, the truck, reportedly moving at high speed, lost control while navigating a sharp bend and rammed into the oncoming tricycle, crushing it beyond recognition.
“The keke (tricycle) had no chance,” said Godspower Okilo, a trader in the area. “The tipper was moving too fast and by the time the driver realised he couldn’t negotiate the bend, it was too late. It hit the tricycle head-on.”
He added that residents and passersby rushed to the scene to rescue the injured, who were then transported to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, for emergency treatment. The bodies of the deceased students were later taken to a nearby morgue.
The accident has reignited calls for urgent government intervention on the Yenagoa/Amassoma Road, which locals have long described as one of the most dangerous highways in the state due to frequent crashes, especially at sharp turns and poorly lit areas.
“The authorities must act now before more lives are lost,” warned another resident, Mrs. Ebike Ekain. “There are no warning signs, no speed breakers, and truck drivers drive recklessly, especially at night.”
Many residents noted that the reconstruction of the road from the Etegwe Roundabout to Tombia has introduced several dangerous curves, which motorists often fail to navigate safely due to high speed and poor road awareness.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is said to maintain a limited presence on the road, with an ambulance sometimes stationed around Tombia or the Agudama-Ekpetiama junction, but locals insist this is not enough.
They are calling on the FRSC, Bayelsa State Government, and security agencies to intensify patrols, enforce speed limits, install proper signage, and conduct regular safety checks on heavy-duty vehicles using the road.
Confirming the incident, spokesperson for the Bayelsa State Police Command, DSP Musa Muhammad, said an investigation is underway.
“Yes, an accident happened there, and we are currently investigating the causes,” he said.
As families mourn the loss of the young students, the tragedy serves as yet another grim reminder of the deadly consequences of poor road safety and reckless driving on Nigeria’s highways.
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