Driver slumps, dies while taking students to Unilorin campus

A commercial bus driver simply identified as Lukman slumped and lost his life while conveying some students to the the University of Ilọrin campus.

It was gathered that the tragic incident which occurred on Friday left occupants of the vehicle in shock.

A passenger who witnessed the incident narrated that he took control of the bus in motion to save other students and avert further disaster.

He said, “Our bus driver just died on the road while driving us from Sanrab to Unilorin. I was sitting in the front but I wasn’t looking up because I was reading the Qur’an on my phone.

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“The other person beside me just called my attention shouting Baba multiple times. By the time I looked up, he was already gasping and the bus was drifting away from the road. I had to press the brake, take control and bring it to a halt.

“We tried to revive him, took him down, fanned him and poured water on his face but he wasn’t responding. Some medical students checked his pulse and said it was becoming faint. His colleague brought a bus and he was on my lap on the way to the school clinic.

“The DVC who also met us followed with his car. It was so emotional and  I just had to control myself. The other lady that followed us to the hospital was crying. But we were told he was brought in dead at the clinic. Everything happened within 30 minutes

“I have always heard and seen videos of people dying in unexpected situations but never witnessed any. Everyone should always be conscious that death will come to everyone and nobody knows when our time will be. We should always be conscious of this and engage in good deeds at all times.”

One of the deceased’s colleagues, Sulyman Malik, who also confirmed the incident during a telephone chat with Daily Trust, explained that the driver sympathised with him on Thursday about a recent accident.

“From what we gathered, he just finished crossing the last of the four bumps at veterinary junction after the school gate, going to the the park when he slumped.

“This just shows that this life is vanity. He has since been buried according to Islamic rites. He was a very handsome man and you would not think of his death even in the next 30 years”.

Director of Information, University of Ilorin, Mr Kunle Akogun, described the incident as very unfortunate and a reminder of the vanity of life.