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By Myke Agunwa
In a heartbreaking incident, seven members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Gombe State Council, have lost their lives in a fatal road accident while four others sustained injuries of varying degrees.
The victims were travelling in an NUJ bus when the lone crash occurred along the Gombe-Yola Road on the evening of Monday, December 29, 2025.
The journalists, part of a delegation from the Gombe State Council, had journeyed to attend and celebrate the wedding of a colleague employed by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). Reports indicate that six of the deceased were NTA staff, highlighting the profound impact on the media community in the region. Filled with joy from the festivities, the group was returning home when tragedy struck.
Gombe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Samson Kaura, confirmed the details in an interview.
“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,” he stated.
According to the FRSC official, Preliminary investigations point to a tyre burst as the likely cause. Kaura explained that the sudden burst may have prompted the driver to apply brakes abruptly, causing the vehicle to lose control and somersault multiple times.
The accident was described as a lone crash, with no other vehicles involved. FRSC rescue teams were swiftly deployed to the scene, where they conducted evacuation and recovery operations. The injured were promptly rushed to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment, while efforts continued to fully assess the site.
NUJ has yet to release an official statement, but tributes are pouring in as the community mourns.