LAUTECH Breaks Silence on ODL Nursing Tragedy: Students Represented ‘Spirit of Hope and Progress’
Lagos, 24 February 2026
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, has issued its first official statement following the fatal road accident that claimed the lives of six final-year students from its Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Bachelor of Nursing Science programme.
In a special release signed by the Registrar, Mrs Olayinka O. Balogun, and dated 24 February 2026, the university described the loss as “tragic” and expressed deep sorrow for the deaths of the six women. The students — Shehu Nana Firdawsi Hamza, Idris Jamila, Abdulraheem Maimunah Hamza, Blessing Kewwe, Owoicho Elizabeth, and Aroke Ozavize Victoria — were all 500-level candidates travelling by public bus from Suleja, Niger State, to the main campus in Ogbomoso for their final semester examinations.
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The crash occurred on Sunday, 22 February 2026, at Otte in Kwara State along the Ilorin-Ogbomoso Road. The victims were practising registered nurses balancing full-time clinical work with degree-level studies. One victim was heavily pregnant, compounding the grief for families and colleagues.
The university’s statement highlighted the students’ qualities, noting they “were not only pursuing their educational dreams with determination and resilience” but also “represented the spirit of hope and progress that defines our institution”. It extended deepest condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones, affirmed solidarity in their grief, and called on the public to pray for fortitude. The release concluded by praying that the memories of the departed inspire compassion, perseverance, and unity.
The statement comes amid growing scrutiny of ODL programme structures in Nigeria, where practising health professionals must often undertake long, hazardous inter-state journeys for in-person examinations and facilitation sessions. Advocates, including voices from the nursing community, have called for decentralised exam centres in major cities or expanded virtual options to mitigate such risks.
As of late 24 February 2026, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has not issued any public response to the tragedy, drawing continued criticism from nurses who argue the union should provide stronger advocacy for member welfare, safety, and educational equity. Prominent nurse leader Kenny Oluwatosin RN, MSc, founder of Fellow Nurses Africa, has described the silence as a failure of accountability.
We shall continue to monitor developments and bring you updates as they emerge, stay with us!
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