A devastating road accident has claimed the lives of five students of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) after their shuttle bus crashed into a parked trailer along the Eliozu–Rumuokoro Road in Rivers State. The fatal incident, which occurred on Monday, July 29, 2025, has sent shockwaves across the university community and ignited public outrage over unregulated heavy-duty parking in urban areas.
Eyewitnesses report that the shuttle bus, usually contracted to transport students between campus and surrounding areas, was en route to Rumuokoro when it collided at high speed with a trailer truck that had been left stationary without proper hazard signs. The violent impact killed five students on the spot and left several others severely injured.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene minutes later, with officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), police, and sympathizers working together to extract bodies and rush the wounded to a nearby hospital. As of press time, two of the injured students remain in critical condition at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), while the university has yet to release the identities of the deceased.
Local authorities have confirmed that the trailer had no rear reflective signs or cones, making it nearly invisible during low visibility conditions on the busy, poorly lit stretch of road. The driver of the trailer reportedly fled the scene before law enforcement arrived, prompting a manhunt by the police.
The University of Port Harcourt management has issued a somber statement, mourning the loss of its students and pledging full support to the bereaved families. Vice Chancellor Prof. Owunari Georgewill described the incident as “a dark day in the history of our institution,” while calling on authorities to take immediate action to regulate roadside truck parking across Port Harcourt.
Social media platforms have been flooded with emotional tributes from classmates, friends, and alumni, as #UNIPORTTragedy and #RumuokoroCrash began trending on X and Threads. Many have also renewed calls for stricter enforcement of road safety laws, especially around student-populated zones.
As the city mourns, questions linger: How many more lives must be lost before decisive regulatory action is taken? The Eliozu–Rumuokoro corridor has become notorious for accidents involving parked trailers, and citizens are demanding that this tragedy finally spark lasting change.
