Buhari ‘sad’ as 21 school children, teachers die in Enugu crash

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday expressed sadness over a vehicle accident that claimed lives, including those of pupils of Presentation Nursery and Primary School in Mgbowu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Traffic authorities say at least 21 people were killed in the crash.

Buhari’s condolence message was contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, titled “President Buhari mourns victims of Enugu crash involving pupils.”

In mourning the victims, Adesina quoted Buhari as urging vehicle owners to ensure roadworthiness, as initial reports attributed the accident to brake-failure by the truck involved.

The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari is saddened by the gruesome vehicle accident in Mgbowu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, in which scores of people died, most of them school pupils.

“The President condoles with families and kith and kin of the dead, praying that God will grant them succour, and spare the country of such tragedy in future.

“He also commiserates with the Catholic Church of Awgu, which runs Presentation Nursery and Primary School that the pupils attended, and the Enugu State Government.

“President Buhari enjoins vehicle owners to ensure roadworthiness, as initial reports attributed the accident to brake-failure by the truck involved.”

Tragedy struck on Wednesday after a truck rammed into a school bus conveying pupils at Nkwo Junction, in the Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The bus driver, seven pupils, and a teacher were said to have died on the spot.

Nine other pupils, who were said to have sustained varying degrees of injury, were rushed to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, for treatment.