Ex-ASUU president, Festus Iyayi dies in auto crash with Gov Idris Wada’s convoy

Former Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) President, Prof. Festus Iyayi on Tuesday died in an auto crash on Lokoja – Abuja  highway.
The state FRSC Sector Commander, Mr Olakunle Motajo, confirmed the death of Iyayi in the accident, describing the accident as unfortunate.
He said the accident involved a Toyota Hilux on the convoy of Gov. Idris Wada and a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number Edo 357 USL, belonging to the UNIBEN ASUU chapter.
Iyayi was said to be travelling to Kano for the NEC meeting of ASUU slated for Wednesday when the accident occurred at about 11:45 a.m.
The late ASUU president was travelling in a Toyota Hiace bus, belonging to the UNIBEN ASUU chapter  alongside other  two  ASUU members, including a woman lecturer.
Another woman lecturer also sustained fracture in her left arm, while the other male passenger  sustained bruises all over his body.
The driver of the bus , however, escaped unhurt.
The corpse of Iyayi had been deposited at the morgue of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital in Lokoja where other injured victims were also being treated.
The governor who was returning from an official trip to Abuja, later visited the emergency ward of the hospital to commiserate with the victims.
He was also at the hospital mortuary to the see the dead body of Iyayi, while he directed the management of the hospital to give the victims the best of care.
Some ASUU members numbering more than 10 were also seen around the emergency ward but refused to talk on the accident.
Some residents of Banda community who witnessed the accident said the accident occurred when the rear vehicle in the convoy attempted to overtake others and hit the ASUU bus.
Eyewitness said the impact was so serious that the ASUU bus somersaulted three times before hitting a big three in the nearby bush.
The eyewitness, who stated that they joined in rescuing the trapped ASUU officials, said that Iyayi died on the spot.
Seven policemen in the unmarked rear vehicle in the convoy also sustained various degrees of injuries and are now receiving treatment at the government house clinic in Lokoja.
The state FRSC Sector Commander told NAN that preliminary report on the accident had revealed wrongful overtaken on the part of the government vehicle’s driver, saying that further investigation had commenced.
Motajo also confirmed that the corpse of the late professor had been deposited at the morgue of the state specialist hospital where he said injured victims were also being treated.
Meanwhile, Gov Idris had ordered a full investigation into the accident
The governor in a statement in Lokoja lamented the death of Iyayi, a former president of ASUU in the accident and also sympathised with those injured and their families.
The statement signed by the Special Adviser to the governor on media, Mr Jacob Edi, claimed that the “Governor’s convoy was on a speed of 80 kilometres per hour when a bus collided with the escort van.”

- The Citizen

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