A truck driver in Ilaro, Ogun State has been arrested after ramming into a motorcycle conveying a National Diploma 1 student of the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Temilade Deborah Adekunle.

The accident led to her untimely death along the Sayedero market in the Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State on Thursday.

The Public Relations Officer of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said that the accident was caused by a brake failure.

Sources within the school confirmed that Temilade had just left the exam hall and was on her way home when the incident happened.

Akinbiyi noted that the incident occurred at about 10:15 am and involved a granite-laden truck with number plate AAA 640 XX, an unregistered Toyota car and a motorcycle.

The TRACE spokesperson noted that the motorcyclist fled the accident scene after the crash.

He said, “A fatal RTA/RTC at Sayedero market, Yewa South. It involved an Iveco truck with a number plate AAA 640 XX, an unregistered Toyota car and a motorcycle. The cause of the accident was brake failure.

“One death was recorded, a female student of the Federal Poly, according to a witness.”

He noted that the body of the deceased was taken to the Ilaro General Hospital morgue by the polytechnic’s ambulance.

“Traffic was affected, but TRACE operatives were on the ground managing the traffic situation, and the victim has been taken to the Ilaro general hospital morgue by the FPI school authority with their ambulance,” Akinbiyi concluded.

When contacted for a reaction on Thursday, the spokesperson for the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Sola Abiala, confirmed the incident.

The FPI spokesperson added that the driver of the truck was arrested by sympathisers at the scene of the incident and handed over to the police.

“The incident involved an ND1 student named Temilade Adekunle. It happened outside the polytechnic’s campus. When we heard about the incident, the polytechnic deployed all necessary resources including an ambulance to convey her to the hospital where she was confirmed dead.

“The driver of the truck attempted to run away but was apprehended by those at the scene of the incident and handed over to the police.

“We have contacted her parent immediately. It is a sad situation and we offer our condolences to the family. As an institution, we are committed to the safety and security of our students,” Abiala said.

Temilade was a bright and promising student whose life was cut short in a manner that has left us all in shock and grief. The news of her untimely passing, caused by a truck’s brake failure, is a painful reminder of the urgent need to address road safety concerns in our society.