They were travelling to write their final exams, but t.hey never made it to the hall.
Six nursing students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, have died in a road crash along the Ilorin–Ogbomoso Road — a journey meant to mark the final stretch of their academic pursuit.
The university confirmed the tragedy in a statement dated February 24 and signed by its Registrar, Olayinka Balogun.
The deceased were identified as Shehu Nana Firdawsi Hamza, Idris Jamila, Abdulraheem Maimunah Hamza, Blessing Kevwe, Owoicho Elizabeth, and Aroke Ozavize Victoria.
All six were final-year students in the Open and Distance Learning Nursing programme.
According to the statement, they were travelling in a public bus from Suleja, Niger State, to campus for their final examinations when the accident occurred at Otte in Kwara State on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
“With a heavy heart, the management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, announces the tragic loss of six of our cherished Open and Distance Learning Nursing students who were involved in a ghastly motor accident on the Ilorin–Ogbomoso Road,” the statement read.
The university described the incident as devastating, noting that the students were pursuing their dreams with determination and resilience.
“This devastating incident has left our entire academic community in mourning, as the students were not only pursuing their educational dreams with determination and resilience, but also represented the spirit of hope and progress that defines our institution,” the statement added.
The management extended condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the deceased, saying the university stands in solidarity with them during this period of grief.
For many Nigerian students, this story feels painfully close.
Long-distance travel for exams is common — especially for those in distance learning programmes.
Late bookings. Crowded buses. The urgency of not missing a paper that could delay graduation.
This tragedy also comes barely weeks after another fatal crash in Kwara State.
On February 5, Kwara State University confirmed the death of a 400-level student, Idris Agboluaje, who died in an auto crash in the Malete area while on his way to write an examination.
Two incidents.
Final-year students.
Journeys tied to exams.
Beyond the headlines, these are young people whose futures were within reach — families waiting for graduation photos, classmates expecting celebration,
lecturers preparing to sign off results.
As campuses mourn, the question isn’t just about what happened.
It’s about how often students must travel across states under pressure and what can be done to make those journeys safer.
Because no final exam should become a final journey.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.