By Gbenga Ariyibi

ADO-EKITI — At least five persons died while nine others sustained various degree of injuries in Ado Ekiti during an auto crash involving a vehicle conveying students of Ekiti State University, EKSU, Ado-Ekiti.

The incident, which occurred around 4:15am, at Irasa village, few metres to the main campus of EKSU, was between a grey colour Mazda car with number plate LAGOS KJA 608 CD carrying eight students driven by one of them and a white Nissan commercial bus with number plate OSUN AA 529 FTD.

The eight EKSU students were said to be returning to their hostels after a farewell party for the final year students.

Five women in the commercial bus died on the spot while the driver is on life support at the state university teaching hospital.

An eye witness told Vanguard that five women inside the commercial bus were brought out dead but the police said only two lives were lost

However, villagers’ timely intervention was said to have saved the students who were trapped in the car. Axes and cutlasses were used before they were freed and rushed the hospital.

The Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, DSP Victor Babayemi, confirmed the incident, saying two persons among the traders were dead and their bodies had been deposited at the morgue of the teaching hospital.