National Sports Festival: Tragedy As Kano Contingent Lost 20 In Road Mishap
Not less than 20 members of the Kano State contingent returning from the National Sports Festival held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, lost their lives in a fatal vehicle accident at Dakatsalle Bridge in the Kura Local Government Area of Kano State.
Available reports indicate that the vehicle conveying the athletes fell off the bridge on Saturday around 9 am, resulting in a devastating crash and death of some passengers.
Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Umar Fagge, who confirmed the incident, said many other athletes sustained various degree of injuries following the fatal accident on Saturday.
He explained that the bus conveying 30 athletes fell from the bridge, leading to the death of the 20 athletes.
“As I am talking to you now, we have counted 19 dead bodies,” Fagge lamented
Similarly, Ado Salisu Gama, a former Vice President of SWAN, said victims were still being conveyed to Kura General Hospital.
Gama explained that the accident occurred as they approached their destination in Kano, after travelling overnight since on Thursday from Ogun State.
Among those reported dead are athletes, journalists, medical personnel, administrators, driver and others.
Also confirming the unfortunate incident, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kano Sector Command, Abdullahi Labaran, however said that the number of deaths and injured persons are still being sorted out
He said, “We just received the report of the accident, so, I cannot confirm the exact number of casualties at the moment”.
Kano State athletes were among other states that took part in the just-concluded Sports Festival hosted by Ogun state.
On the medals’ table, the Kano contingent won 29 medals comprising Six Gold; 13 Silver and 10 Bronze.
