Seven members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) died, and four others were injured in a fatal road accident involving an NUJ bus in Gombe State on Monday evening. The journalists were returning from a wedding in Gombe South Senatorial District, celebrating a colleague from the Nigerian Television Authority.
The Gombe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Samson Kaura, confirmed the crash involved 11 people. “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,” Kaura said.
Preliminary investigations suggest the lone accident may have been caused by a tyre burst. Kaura explained, “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.” Rescue teams were deployed immediately, and injured victims have been taken to nearby health facilities for treatment.