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A hit-and-run driver allegedly fled the scene of an accident which claimed the life of Olanrewaju Olatona, a student of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Osun State, late Monday.
The accident was said to have occurred when the driver who was reportedly driving against traffic, collided with the motorcycle conveying Olatona, and another passenger along the Ikirun-Osogbo road area of the state.
PUNCH Metro gathered on Wednesday from a student of the polytechnic, who was privy to the incident but pleaded anonymity, that the driver was driving in the wrong direction when he allegedly hit the motorcycle conveying Olatona and one other yet-to-be-identified person.
The severe impact of the collision was said to have led to the National Diploma 2 student’s death.
Our correspondent further gathered that Olatona, who was the Financial Secretary of the Department of Mass Communication, was preparing for his mandatory one-year Industrial Training programme.
The source said, “A student of Iree was killed by a trailer driver on Monday night. The student was on a motorcycle with one other person when the driver, who was driving against traffic, collided with them.
“The student died on the spot. He was the Financial Secretary of the Department of Mass Communication and was about to go for his IT before his untimely death.”
Confirming the incident to our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Wednesday, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, disclosed that the police had launched a manhunt for the fleeing driver.
“Yes, the incident happened and we are just confirming that he is a student. When it happened, it was not reported to the police at first that the victim was a student.
“It was a case of a hit-and-run and the driver could not be apprehended immediately. Meanwhile, the police will not relax. We will arrest the driver,” Opalola said.
PUNCH Metro reported in April 2018 that a hit-and-run driver crushed a first-class student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Deborah Olajide, to death.
She was reportedly run over and killed along the Akure-Ilesa Expressway, a few metres away from the main gate of the university.
The driver of the vehicle was said to have escaped from the scene of the accident.
Following the incident, the students organised a procession in front of the school gate and blocked the expressway for several hours.
