A truck driver has killed a student in Ilorin, Kwara State. The driver was driving a Conoil truck. The victim was Sheu, a student of Kwara State Polytechnic. The incident occurred around the Government Secondary School area of Ilorin on Friday. The driver and his motor boy fled. The police are searching for them.
Road accidents kill thousands in Nigeria annually. Tanker and truck drivers are often involved. Many flee the scene to avoid arrest. In 2023, a truck killed a family in Lagos and the driver escaped. In 2024, a tanker explosion in Ojo killed dozens. The pattern reflects weak enforcement and poor road safety culture. Fleeing drivers escape justice. Victims’ families are left without closure.
A family member said Sheu had borrowed a motorcycle from his brother to buy clothes for his side business. He lived with his mother in Shao, Moro Local Government Area, and helped with her clothes business. When he failed to return the motorcycle, the family became worried. The owner of the motorcycle called Sheu’s phone after 9 pm. An unidentified person answered. They heard a voice in the background questioning why the call was picked up. The line went off. Repeated attempts failed. The family later learnt that a body had been found on a bridge in Oko-Olowo. Residents alerted the police after suspecting the deceased had fallen from a moving vehicle. The body was classified as unidentified and buried by local government health officials. The family identified him from a photograph before the burial. They exhumed the body for confirmation.
A tricycle operator, Basit, witnessed the accident. He helped convey the body to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital. Doctors confirmed the deceased was brought in dead. The operator later claimed to be the deceased’s brother, took custody of the body and handed it to the truck crew. The family questioned why he did not alert hospital personnel. The Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, confirmed the incident. He said a tricycle operator had been arrested. “Yes, we are trying to arrest the drivers now,” he said. The family wants justice. They want to know if the operator handed over the body for financial gain.
Winners: No winners. The police, if they make arrests. The family, if they gain closure. Losers: Sheu, who lost his life. His family, who face grief and unanswered questions. The tricycle operator, who faces scrutiny. The truck driver and motor boy, who face arrest. The community, which loses a young man.
Bottom Line: A student was killed. His body was dumped on a bridge. He was buried as unidentified. The driver fled. The police are searching. Justice demands answers. The family deserves closure.