Seven journalists perish in Gombe road accident

The Federal Road Safety Corps has confirmed the death of seven members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, while four others were injured in a lone fatal road crash involving an NUJ bus in Gombe State.
The accident occurred on Monday evening as the journalists were on their way back from a wedding ceremony held in the Gombe South Senatorial District.

Those affected were part of a delegation that travelled to celebrate a colleague, an employee of the Nigerian Television Authority, who had just wedded.
Speaking in a telephone interview, the Gombe State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Samson Kaura, disclosed that 11 persons were involved in the crash.
“Based on the information available, 11 people were involved in the accident. Unfortunately, seven lost their lives instantly, while four others sustained different degrees of injuries,” Kaura stated.
He explained that preliminary investigations revealed the incident was a lone crash, which was suspected to have been caused by a tyre burst.
“It is a single-vehicle accident and extremely fatal. Although investigations are ongoing, it is suspected that a tyre burst may have occurred. The driver may have applied sudden brakes, leading to the vehicle somersaulting,” he said.
Kaura added that FRSC rescue operatives were immediately mobilised to the scene and were still carrying out rescue and recovery operations at the time of the interview.
“Our personnel are still at the location conducting rescue operations. The full assessment has not been concluded yet, but a detailed report will be issued after the exercise,” he noted.
He further confirmed that the injured victims had been taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, assuring that the corps would continue its investigation to establish the exact cause of the crash.