Five persons have died and several others sustained injuries in a road accident involving a passenger bus and a truck reportedly belonging to GUO Logistics, prompting a civil society organisation to threaten nationwide protests against the transport company.

Citizens for Good Governance, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Initiative has given GUO Logistics 72 hours to engage families of the deceased and injured passengers, provide urgent assistance to survivors and address concerns arising from the accident.

The organisation warned that failure to demonstrate meaningful engagement within the stipulated period could trigger peaceful protests and mass picketing of the company’s offices and operational facilities across the country.

In a statement signed by its Director-General, Comr. Danesi Momoh Prince, the organisation said the accident occurred at about 3:30 a.m. on August 28, 2026, involving a Toyota Hiace bus conveying more than 23 passengers from Gombe State to Lagos State.

According to the statement, the accident occurred when a truck reportedly belonging to GUO Logistics rammed into the passenger bus, resulting in the deaths of five persons, including students travelling to Lagos for their mandatory industrial training.

The deceased were identified as Isiyaku Sa’idu, Maigana Mohammed, popularly known as Abbati, Anas Abubakar, reportedly the driver of the bus, Zaiyanu Bajoga and Abubakar Ibrahim.

Describing the incident as devastating, the organisation said the victims were Nigerians pursuing education, employment and better opportunities, adding that the tragedy had cut short the dreams of the deceased while leaving other passengers battling for survival.

It called on GUO Logistics to demonstrate genuine concern for the victims and their families, stressing that corporate reputation must not take precedence over human lives.

The organisation also expressed concern over allegations that efforts were being made to protect the company’s public image rather than adequately address the plight of victims and their families.

It consequently demanded that the company establish immediate contact with the families of the deceased and injured passengers through available passenger manifests, booking records and other travel documentation within the 72-hour window.

Other demands include urgent assistance for survivors, engagement with medical facilities to address their healthcare needs and discussions with bereaved families on appropriate support and compensation in accordance with applicable laws and the outcome of investigations.

The group further requested a public statement from the company outlining measures being taken to address the incident, alongside an official communication channel through which affected families could seek assistance.

It urged the company to cooperate fully with relevant authorities investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident and ensure that all applicable legal responsibilities were addressed.

Clarifying its demands, the organisation said the ultimatum was intended to secure immediate engagement and demonstrable humanitarian support, not compel the company to conclude a comprehensive accident investigation within three days.

It warned that failure to demonstrate meaningful engagement within the stipulated period could lead to nationwide mass picketing of GUO Logistics offices and operational facilities.

The group said it was prepared to mobilise concerned citizens and relevant stakeholders for peaceful and lawful protests across the country, subject to applicable legal requirements.

It also threatened to petition relevant regulatory and law enforcement authorities to ensure that the incident received the necessary attention.

However, the organisation acknowledged that the precise circumstances of the accident and legal responsibility must be established through a thorough investigation, insisting that humanitarian assistance to survivors and their families should not be delayed pending the outcome.

Reacting to the allegations that the victims and their families had been abandoned, GUO Logistics management faulted the claim, insisting that its personnel had been actively involved in responding to the incident since it occurred.

An unidentified management staff member said company representatives were at the general hospital where the victims were taken from the early hours of the day until about 1 a.m.

The staff member added that the company’s personnel were also present when the victims were transported to Gombe State and had continued to visit hospitals and the police station to follow up on the incident.

“We have been on top of this issue ever since the day it happened. Our staff were at the general hospital from early morning until around 1 a.m. that day. They were fully on ground when the victims were attended to and transported back to Gombe,” the staff member said.

The representative further maintained that the company’s response had been continuous, disclosing that its team members visited the hospital and police station as recently as the previous day and remained there until about 8 p.m.
“Our team has been active. We have not missed a day without being there,” the staff member added.

The organisation, however, reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring developments and engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure that the victims and their families were not forgotten.

“Our position is unequivocal: human lives must never be sacrificed at the altar of corporate reputation. The dead deserve dignity, the injured deserve urgent assistance, and the bereaved families deserve answers,” the statement said.