21 people, mostly young school children, were killed when a truck lost control and hit a school bus in Awgu in Nigeria’s Enugu state on Wednesday.
A teacher was also among those who died in the road accident.
The bus was carrying about 61 children who were with the Presentation Nursery and Primary School, which is managed by the Catholic diocese of Awgu.
Witnesses said the driver of the truck fled the scene immediately after the incident.
Local police said an investigation has been launched into the incident.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari expressed sadness over what he described as a “gruesome vehicle accident”.
Buhari requested all vehicle owners to ensure their vehicles were roadworthy, “as initial reports attributed the accident to brake failure by the truck involved.”
Fatal road crashes are common in Nigeria mainly due to poorly maintained vehicles, reckless driving and bad roads.
