Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, has shut down academic activities at its Iseyin campus for two weeks following the tragic death of a 200-level student who was killed in a hit-and-run accident. The closure comes amid a four-month-long medical workers’ strike that has reportedly strained emergency responses to student welfare and safety on campus.
Tension and grief gripped LAUTECH’s Iseyin campus on Friday after a speeding vehicle allegedly hit a 200-level student of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources along the Iseyin–Oyo Road, leaving him dead at the scene. The driver reportedly fled immediately after the incident, prompting outrage among students who later took to the streets in protest, demanding justice and improved safety measures around the campus.
Eyewitnesses said the deceased was on his way back to the hostel when the vehicle, which was reportedly driving against traffic, knocked him down. Attempts by his colleagues to rush him to a nearby hospital proved futile due to the ongoing strike by medical personnel in the state.
“The strike has left us helpless. Even the nearest clinic wasn’t open, and by the time we found transport to another hospital, it was too late,” one student told reporters.
In a statement released late Friday, the university management announced the suspension of all academic activities and ordered students to vacate the campus immediately for a two-week mourning and review period. The institution expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and assured that investigations were underway to apprehend the driver responsible for the tragedy.
“Management deeply regrets the loss of one of our promising students and acknowledges the concerns raised by the university community. Immediate steps are being taken to improve campus safety and ensure accountability for this avoidable incident,” the statement read.
The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed that an investigation has commenced, with officers dispatched to track the suspect’s vehicle using eyewitness accounts and CCTV footage along the Iseyin highway.
Meanwhile, the tragic death has reignited debate about the state of healthcare accessibility for students and staff in tertiary institutions affected by industrial actions. Stakeholders, including the university’s Student Union and staff associations, have called on the Oyo State Government to intervene urgently to end the ongoing medical strike.
“This death could have been prevented if the hospitals were open and ambulances functional,” said one student leader. “We cannot continue to lose lives because of government neglect.”
As LAUTECH mourns the loss of one of its own, the university community is demanding concrete reforms from road safety enforcement around its campuses to better medical response systems to ensure such a tragedy never repeats itself.
