Seven journalists have been confirmed dead following a lone road traffic accident that occurred on Monday evening in the Gombe South area of Gombe State.
The accident happened as the journalists were returning from a wedding ceremony in the Gombe South Senatorial District.
The victims were said to have travelled together in a bus to show solidarity with a colleague, an employee of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), who was getting married.
Confirming the incident, the Gombe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Samson Kaura, said preliminary reports indicated that the crash was severe and fatal.
“It is a lone accident, and from the information we have so far, it is very fatal,” Kaura said. “We have not gotten full details yet as our officers are still on the ground carrying out rescue operations.”
According to him, the accident was suspected to have been caused by a tyre burst, which may have led the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
“I suspect it may have been a tyre burst. Perhaps the driver applied the brake and the vehicle somersaulted,” he added.
In a further update, the FRSC boss disclosed that 11 people were involved in the crash, with seven dying instantly while four others sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
The incident has thrown the media community in Gombe State into mourning, coming amid growing concerns over the rising number of fatal road crashes, especially during the Yuletide season.
Authorities have repeatedly urged motorists to avoid speeding and ensure their vehicles are roadworthy to prevent avoidable tragedies.
