In a devastating blow to Nigeria's media community, seven journalists and media workers lost their lives in a fatal road accident along the Billiri-Kumo Road in Gombe State on Monday evening.
Four others sustained serious injuries.The victims were traveling in a bus belonging to the Gombe State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
They were returning from the wedding ceremony of a colleague, an employee of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), held in Kaltungo Local Government Area.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Gombe State Sector Commander, Samson Kaura, a total of 11 people were involved in the lone crash.
Preliminary investigations point to a tyre burst as the likely cause, leading the driver to lose control.
The vehicle veered off the road and somersaulted into nearby bushes near Kumo town in Akko Local Government Area.
The deceased have been identified as:
Zarah Umar, News Manager at NTA Gombe and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor in the Office of the First Lady
Manu Haruna Kwami, Administration Manager at NTA
Isa Lawan, Film Editor at NTA
Musa Tabra, Retired News Manager
Aminu Adamu, Senior Driver
Adams Danladi of StarTimes
Judith Kutus, Information Officer with the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB)
The injured, including NTA Government House Correspondent Emmanuel Akila, Steven Doddo from NTA's Marketing Department, Nina Gadal from the Ministry of Information, and Jonathan Bara, Marketing Manager at NTA, were rushed to nearby hospitals and later referred to the Specialist Hospital in Gombe for further treatment.
Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya described the incident as a "heart-rending tragedy" that has plunged the state into mourning.
In a statement, he extended condolences to the families of the deceased, the NUJ, NTA management, and the broader media fraternity, emphasizing the profound loss to journalism and public service in the state.
The National President of the NUJ, Alhassan Yahya, also mourned the victims, calling their deaths a "devastating blow" to the profession and pledging solidarity with the bereaved.
The accident shows ongoing concerns about road safety in Nigeria, particularly during the festive season when travel increases. Investigations by the FRSC are continuing to determine the exact circumstances.
The media community in Gombe and across Nigeria is in deep mourning, with tributes pouring in for the dedicated professionals lost in this avoidable tragedy.
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