A road accident in Gombe South area of Gombe State has claimed the lives of seven journalists on Monday evening, December 29. The victims were returning from a wedding ceremony in Gombe South Senatorial District, where they had traveled to support a colleague from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Gombe State Command confirmed the fatalities, stating that mechanical failure is the cause of the disaster.
According to the FRSC, the tyre of the vehicle burst while the vehicle was in motion. It is suspected that the driver applied the brakes suddenly after the burst, causing the vehicle to lose stability and somersault.
Out of the 11 people on board, seven died instantly, while four others survived with various degrees of injuries.
Gombe State FRSC Sector Commander, Samson Kaura, expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and the journalism profession.
It is a lone accident, and from the information we have so far, it is very fatal… sadly, seven of them died on the spot. We urge drivers to check their tyre integrity, especially during this dry, hot season – Samson Kaura, FRSC Sector Commander
As a result of this incident, the FRSC warned against over speeding and the use of expired or worn-out tyres, which are prone to bursting due to the high road temperatures characteristic of the Harmattan season.
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