The students Shehu Nana Firdawsi Hamza, Idris Jamila, Abdulraheem Maimunah Hamza, Blessing Kevwe, Owoicho Elizabeth, and Aroke Ozavize Victoria — were travelling by commercial bus from Suleja, Niger State, to Ogbomoso when the vehicle crashed at Otte in Kwara State on Sunday, February 22, 2026. All six were enrolled in the university’s Open and Distance Learning Nursing programme and had been making the long journey to write their final papers.
In an official statement signed by Registrar Olayinka Balogun on February 24, LAUTECH’s management described the loss as “tragic” and “monumental,” saying the students “were not only pursuing their educational dreams with determination and resilience, but also represented the spirit of hope and progress” that defines the institution. The university extended its condolences to the families of the deceased and called on the public to pray for the victims and their loved ones.
The back-to-back tragedies have intensified calls for improved road safety measures on highways connecting university campuses across the region, where students frequently rely on long-distance commercial transport to access their institutions.
