Several candidates traveling to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have died in a road accident along the Oyo-Ogbomoso highway in Oyo State.
The tragic crash, which occurred as the students made their way to their examination centers, was reportedly caused by suspected brake failure. As of press time, the exact number of casualties and the identities of the victims had not been officially confirmed.
The news of the accident quickly spread across social media, with many Nigerians expressing grief and anger over the incident.
Reacting to the tragedy on X (formerly Twitter), one user, @Plug08066, wrote: “May the souls of the departed rest in peace. This is why we need leaders who prioritize education and health, not tribal sentiment.”
Another user, @omoiyaonikoko1, criticized the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) policies, saying: “The JAMB Registrar needs to resign. His policies have made candidates go through hell. Now, lives have been lost just for an exam.”
@EsievDarneal lamented the scheduling of exams for early hours, writing: “Everything is wrong with this country. Fixing exams as early as 6 a.m. is unsafe. It would be better if students sat entrance exams directly at the institutions they applied to.”
Similarly, @Kickflowdown questioned the exam location assignments, asking: “I thought candidates were allowed to choose their centers? Has JAMB turned into NYSC, sending candidates across the country at the risk of their lives?”
@comrade_lekan1 recalled previous concerns: “Last year, I wrote an article warning against assigning students to centers too far from their homes and scheduling exams for 6:30 a.m. Given the state of insecurity, subjecting teenagers to such stress is unacceptable. JAMB must be held accountable.”
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement as investigations into the crash continue.
