Gombe State was plunged into mourning on Monday evening after a fatal road accident claimed the lives of seven members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and left four others injured.
The accident involved an NUJ bus carrying journalists returning from a wedding ceremony in Gombe South Senatorial District. The delegation had travelled to celebrate a colleague, an employee of the Nigerian Television Authority, on their marriage.
Confirming the incident, the Gombe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Samson Kaura, told reporters that 11 people were involved in the crash.
“From the information available to us, 11 people were involved in the crash. Sadly, seven of them died on the spot, while four others sustained varying degrees of injuries,” he said.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the crash was a lone accident, likely caused by a tyre burst.
“It is a lone accident, and from what we have gathered so far, it is very fatal. Although investigations are still ongoing, I suspect it may have been a tyre burst. Perhaps the driver applied the brakes suddenly, which caused the vehicle to somersault,” Kaura explained.
FRSC rescue teams were promptly deployed to the scene and were conducting rescue and recovery operations at the time of the report. The injured victims were immediately taken to nearby health facilities for treatment.
Kaura assured the public that a full investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident. “Our officers are still on the ground carrying out rescue operations. We have not concluded the full assessment yet, but a comprehensive report will be released after the operation is completed,” he said.
The tragic crash has left families, colleagues, and the journalism community in deep grief, highlighting the persistent risks on Nigerian roads.
