The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed that seven people died in a fatal road crash along the Okene–Osara–Lokoja Highway in Kogi State.

The accident occurred when a commercial Siena bus reportedly crashed into a stationary heavy-duty truck at Osara.

Seven passengers lost their lives, while three others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Speaking to journalists in Lokoja on Monday, the Kogi State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Lawal Fagge, said that the bus had departed Auchi in Edo State and was travelling to Abuja, carrying passengers bound for different destinations, including Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory.

Fagge attributed the crash to excessive speeding, driver fatigue and worn-out tyres.

He said the bodies of the deceased had been deposited in the morgue, while the injured victims were receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

He urged motorists to obey speed limits, ensure their vehicles are roadworthy, remain alert while driving and exercise caution when approaching broken-down or stationary vehicles to prevent avoidable crashes.

The latest tragedy has renewed concerns over road safety along the busy Okene–Lokoja corridor, a major highway linking southern and northern Nigeria, where repeated fatal accidents have prompted calls for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations and improved safety measures.

SOTLAWAL FAGGE – Kogi State Sector Commander, FRSC.

Chart: Daily Trust

The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education earmarked N8.4 billion in the 2026 budget for road construction, which is outside its statutory mandate.

The Daily Trust reported that the details of the 2026 Appropriations Act show that the commission was allocated N22.82 billion, comprising N21.68 billion for capital expenditure and N1.14 billion for recurrent expenditure.

The agency also budgeted for several other off-mandate projects, including the procurement of ambulances and medical equipment and the installation of solar power facilities.The projects are located in Ogun, Ekiti and Katsina states.

The commission was established by an Act of Parliament on May 27, 2023, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education.

Its mandate is to tackle the challenge of out-of-school children and reduce illiteracy by integrating formal and Qur’anic education and skills acquisition into its curriculum.

The Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, has formally introduced the 12 Articles of Faith within the Anambra Project.

This framework comprises a series of fundamental shared values designed to promote peace, unity, and development throughout the state.

The twelve core values identified for the Anambra community include: reverence for God, patriotism, self-reliance, discipline, the sanctity of life, truthfulness, liberty, justice, community engagement, respect for the dignity of labor, as well as religious and ethnic tolerance, and love.

These values serve as a guiding principle for cultivating a collective vision aimed at advancing progress within the state.

The initiative was unveiled during an award ceremony organised by the Anambra State Town Unions Council (ASTUC) youth wing in Awka.

Dr Ibezim called for active participation in building a prosperous state.

He charged young people to serve as ambassadors of good governance and community development, noting that many people look up to them as agents of positive change.