Outrage grows over Dangote group’s denial of involvement in fatal Akungba accident

By Esther Olatimehin

The Dangote Group has denied ownership of the truck involved in the fatal crash that claimed several lives near the main gate of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State on the night of Wednesday, 22nd of October, 2025.

According to a statement released by the Students’ union of the university, the articulated vehicle suffered brake failure while travelling from Ikare to Akungba, destroying the barricade at the institution’s main gate. The union said close to ten persons were feared dead, urging students to remain calm and avoid the highway for now.

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However, in a press statement issued on Thursday morning, the Dangote Group refuted reports linking the vehicle to the company. It clarified that the truck, with plate number JJJ 365 XB, was operated by an independent logistics firm unaffiliated with Dangote or its subsidiaries and was transporting crushed stones rather than Dangote products.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the truck was not conveying any Dangote products,” the company said, stressing that all genuine Dangote trucks are “properly branded, tracked, and operated under strict safety standards.”

Prior to this clarification, Nigerians on social media have expressed anger and frustration, recalling previous fatal accidents involving Dangote trucks in Akungba.

A user on X (formerly Twitter) identified as @Hybrid_Ola tweeted, “Till someone sues Dangote Group to bankruptcy, they won’t learn. Over 30 students lost their lives in 2021. The SUG president lost his life too in the accident. A woman lost 3 children — inside this Akungba!”

Another X user, @Omole_DF, wrote, “Dangote and his trailers have killed more people in Akungba than herdsmen.”

Similarly, @peaceyy_y lamented the recurring tragedies, tweeting, “We all begged. We all complained. Years ago, this same thing happened in Akungba Akoko, Ondo State. Students, traders, mothers, children — crushed. A barricade was made in place. Weeks ago, it was opened up. We kicked against it.”

The tweets reflect growing frustration among residents and students who say repeated warnings about the dangers of heavy-duty trucks on Akungba roads have gone unheeded.

Meanwhile, the Students’ Union Public Relations Officer, Comrade Ajidagba Mosadoluwa Akinbobola (Mosa Gold), maintained that the Union remains resolute in its campaign to restrict trucks from the Akungba-Ikare route, calling for calm and order within the student community.

Akungba-Akoko has suffered multiple deadly truck accidents in recent years, including a 2021 crash that killed over 30 people, among them the university’s Students’ Union president. The recent incident has reignited calls for government intervention and stricter road safety enforcement around the university axis.