Seven Nigerian Journalists Killed in Gombe

Seven Nigerian journalists and media workers were killed and four others injured in a fatal road accident on the Gombe–Yola highway, deepening concerns over transport safety on one of Northeastern Nigeria’s busiest routes.

The victims were members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Gombe State Council, who were travelling in a bus after attending a wedding ceremony in Kaltungo Local Government Area.

The crash occurred near Kumo town in Akko Local Government Area as the group was returning to Gombe.

Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said preliminary findings indicate the vehicle suffered a tyre burst, causing the driver to lose control before the bus veered off the road and crashed.

Seven occupants died at the scene, while four others sustained injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Those who lost their lives were identified as Zarah Umar, Manager of News at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Gombe and Senior Special Assistant to the Gombe State First Lady; Manu Haruna Kwami, Manager of Administration, NTA Gombe; Isa Lawan, a film editor with NTA; Musa Tabra, a retired NTA News Manager; Aminu Adamu, a senior driver with NTA; Adams Danladi, a staff member of StarTimes; and Judith Kutus, an information Officer with the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board.

The injured survivors include Emmanuel Akila, NTA Government House correspondent; Steven Doddo, of the NTA marketing department; Nina Gadal, of the Gombe State Ministry of Information; and Jonathan Bara, Manager of Marketing at NTA.

Medical sources said the victims are receiving treatment for varying degrees of injuries.

Gombe State Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya expressed deep sorrow over the incident, describing it as a painful loss to the state and the nation’s media community.

He extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The NUJ National leadership, led by Alhassan Yahya, also mourned the deaths, calling the crash a devastating blow to journalism in Nigeria and urging authorities to strengthen road safety measures to prevent similar tragedies.

Road accidents remain a major public safety challenge across Nigeria, frequently linked to vehicle faults, poor road conditions and weak enforcement of traffic regulations.

Investigations into the exact cause of the crash are ongoing.