Nigeria @63: Sadness Grips Taraba As Hit-and-Run Vehicle Kills 400L Varsity Student (Photo)

A hit-and-run truck has claimed the life of a yet-to-be 400 level student of the Taraba State University, (TSU) identified as Joseph Afara.

VerseNews gathered that the incident, which occurred on Sunday left gloom in the heart of many as Nigeria marked its 63rd year of independence.

According to an eyewitness, “the driver in his attempt to gain entrance into the Jalingo Motor Park, made a reckless manoeuvre into the wrong lane, resulting in the head on collision.”

Another eyewitness said that the victim was on his way to withdraw money in one of the banks located in the Roadblock area of Jalingo metropolis when the vehicle knocked him down.

The driver was also reported to have abandoned his vehicle and the student in a pool of blood and took to his heels in order to avoid being lynched by angry youths around the park.

The student, who did not die on the spot, was said to have given up the ghost shortly after he was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, in Jalingo metropolis.

Some members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, who also spoke with our reporter, regretted the driver’s action, stating that the leadership of the union will work round the clock to bring him to book.

Confirming the incident, an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, who said he was not in the position to speak with journalists, said, “We are actually aware of the accident.”

He added that the driver will definitely be brought to book.