Three Offa Poly graduates die on their way to NYSC camp

• 12 Others Also Perish
No fewer than 15 persons, including three fresh graduates of Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, were yesterday, confirmed dead in an auto crash, along Jigawa and Kano states.

The three unnamed students were on their way to the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) camp in Jigawa, according to the spokesperson of the Polytechnic, Yemisi Iroye.

They died on the spot alongside 12 others, when a truck allegedly rammed into their vehicle.

The 18-seater bus took off from Offa on Thursday.

Iroye said two survivors, who are in critical conditions in a private hospital in Kano, might be transferred to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) for proper medical attention.

Iroye said the sad event has thrown the school community and the entire Offa Town into mourning, just as she prayed God to grant the families of the deceased the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

The Registrar of the institution, Mr. Adetunji Oni, told The Guardian the school’s management would give needed supports to families of the deceased.

Already, some dignitaries in Kwara State have called for the scrapping of the scheme, noting that the scheme had since outlived its relevance.

The Second Republic Leader of the state’s House of Assembly, Chief Wole Oke, said: ”I think the government should give cash rewards to all qualified graduates, as a starter- pack for whatever vocation or investments they may want to embark upon.”

An Ilorin-based Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Abeny Mohammed said graduates should either be allowed to serve in their state of origin or location of their alma mater.