A horrific road accident has cast a pall of grief over Nigeria, after an 18-seater bus conveying prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was involved in a fatal crash on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. Reports from the scene and local sources suggest that 16 of the 18 occupants, primarily young university graduates, lost their lives in the tragedy, with the two survivors currently in critical condition.
The victims were students from The Adeyemi Federal University of Education (AFUED) in Ondo State, en route to the NYSC Orientation Camp in Gombe State for their mandatory national service. The incident occurred on a highway in northern Nigeria, a journey that has sadly become a grim statistic in a country grappling with frequent and often fatal road accidents.
Key Details Emerging:
- Casualties: 16 feared dead, including the driver.
- Survivors: Two people in critical condition.
- Route: Traveling from Ondo State to Gombe State for NYSC orientation.
- Preliminary Cause: Initial reports indicate the driver lost control of the vehicle.
Road accidents are a persistent issue in Africa’s most populous nation, often attributed to poor road conditions, lax traffic enforcement, and human error such as speeding or reckless driving.
Official statements from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are expected as investigations into the precise cause of the crash commence. The event has reignited national discussions on the safety protocols and logistics involved in transporting young graduates across the country for the compulsory one-year service program.