Seven members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have been confirmed dead while four others sustained injuries in a lone auto crash involving an NUJ bus in Gombe State.
The tragic incident occurred on Monday evening as the journalists were returning from a wedding ceremony held in the Gombe South Senatorial District. The delegation had travelled to celebrate a colleague from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) who recently tied the knot.
Confirming the development in a telephone interview, the Gombe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Samson Kaura, revealed that 11 persons were onboard the bus.
“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,” he said.
Kaura disclosed that preliminary findings indicated it was a lone crash suspected to have been triggered by a tyre burst. He explained that the driver may have applied sudden brakes, resulting in the vehicle somersaulting.
“It is a single-vehicle accident and extremely fatal. Investigations are still ongoing, but initial reports point to a possible tyre burst,” he added.
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The FRSC boss confirmed that rescue personnel were immediately deployed to the scene and recovery operations were ongoing at the time of the report. The injured victims have been taken to nearby hospitals for medical attention.
He assured that the Corps would continue its investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash and urged motorists to observe safety precautions while on the road.
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