From: The Nigeria Lawyer

Five Law School Graduates Lost Their Lives In A Fatal Accident During Clearance In Abuja

By Unini Chioma - Nov 14, 20180





As Prof. Chidi Odinkalu Laments Ordeal Faced By Law Graduates During Clearance Process

Five persons where reportedly killed and thirteen injured in a fatal, early morning crash that involved four vehicles at Ushafa-Bwari road Monday in Abuja.

The accident, which occurred near Ushafa bridge about 7:20 on Monday morning, was caused by trailer parked along the road.

Federal Road Safety Corps Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem revealed that three males and one female died while 13 others were injured in the accident which involved a commercial bus, a 2001 Mazda 232 car, 2004 Toyota Corolla and another Toyota Corolla.

Kazeem who attributed the crash to dangerous driving said that the injured had been taken to the Bwari General Hospital for treatment while the dead were deposited at the morgue.

He also said that FRSC personnel in Bwari and the police got to the scene shortly after the crash and cleared the obstruction to enable free passage of vehicles.

“The injured and the dead victims have been taken to Bwari General Hospital, the obstruction was cleared and traffic control handed over to Insp. Linus of Motor Traffic Division, Bwari Police outpost,” Kazeem explained.

Commenting on the incident, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, revealed that the fatal accident involved five graduates of law. He narrated the ordeal faced by students in trying to effect their clearance in Abuja, lamenting that the law students who had a bright future ahead of them to be looked at are now at the mortuary. According to him, the accident, occurred near Ushafa bridge about 7:20 on Monday morning, was caused by trailer parked along the road.

”So, yesterday, these five students took one cab in order to share costs of the trip to & from Supreme Court. They completed the procedures at the Supreme Court. On their way back to Bwari, the cab they took was involved in accident. All five were killed. Spare a thought for their parents

”The journey from Bwari to 3-Arms-Zone is N2k. The stamp at the Supreme Court costs N50 (fifty Naira only). Thereafter, you take the Stamped Certificate back to Bwari to submit the original certificates and keep the photocopy. That should complete the clearance.

”As you can imagine this means long queues on end. Students sleep on the floor. It takes some people up to three days to do the clearing. After the clearing, students are issued a certificate of call to bar. That is then taken to the Supreme Court in Three Arms Zone for stamping.


”The students died while in Abuja for their screening ahead of the call to Bar. There are over 5,000 to be called. All of them are required to travel to Abuja in person & converge on the Law School premises in Bwari. In Bwari, they submit all their documents for clearing.

”Five graduates of the Law School (4 male & 1 female) preparing to be called to the Bar end of Nov 2018 were killed in a needless & avoidable car crash in Bwari, Abuja. Instead of looking forward to a bright future, they’re in the mortuary,” he lamented.

As at the time of filing this report, TNL is yet to know the names of the law school graduates as every effort to reach the Nigerian Law School proved abortive.

May their soul rest in peace!