Students and residents of Modibbo Adama University, Yola, have protested over recurring road crashes along the Sangere axis, demanding urgent safety measures including the installation of speed bumps.
The protest followed a crash last Friday that reportedly killed three students and two residents, with demonstrators accusing speeding trucks and reckless drivers of causing repeated accidents.
A resident, Leonard Lawrence, said the area had recorded about five serious crashes in recent months, with at least 10 students allegedly losing their lives in road accidents this year.
The protest briefly turned tense after university security officials allegedly attempted to disperse the demonstrators and detain a participant identified as Promise Bitrus. Protesters accused the university management of intimidation, while the institution said demonstrations must receive proper approval.
Residents also raised concerns about insecurity, alleging repeated attacks by armed robbers and saying they had resorted to night patrols to protect their communities.
The protesters called on the Adamawa and Federal Governments to urgently improve the road, install speed bumps, strengthen security and restrict heavy duty trucks along the route.
They warned that failure to take concrete action within seven days would lead to a larger demonstration.
Leave a comment