Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, has donated ₦2 million each to the families of seven journalists who lost their lives in a fatal road accident while returning from a colleague’s wedding ceremony.
The journalists died on Monday in an auto crash along the Kaltungo axis of the state. The tragedy has sparked widespread grief within the media community and across Gombe State.
Presenting the cash support on Friday in Gombe, the governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Abubakar Njodi, described the donation as a token of support to assist the bereaved families during their time of loss.
Njodi said the accident was of grave concern to the state government, noting that the journalists had made invaluable contributions to the development and public communication efforts of the state.
“The loss is huge, especially considering the number of journalists lost in a single accident. It is a painful blow not just to their families but to the entire state,” he said.
He urged the families to accept the incident as the will of God, acknowledging the deep pain caused by the sudden deaths.
“If the deceased had known what would happen, they would not have left Kaltungo that day. Life is unpredictable, and only God knows the future,” he added.
Njodi said Governor Yahaya was personally shaken by the tragedy and directed that the funds be released as burial support, stressing that no amount of money could replace the lives lost.
“We cannot pay for any life lost. This is simply a gesture of support to help with burial expenses and to show that the government stands with you in this difficult moment,” he said.
Earlier, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahya, thanked the governor for his swift intervention and support since the incident occurred.
He recalled similar tragedies in the past, noting that the NUJ lost seven journalists to a road accident in Plateau State in 2017, six in Akwa Ibom in 2019, and others in Adamawa, describing the recurring incidents as alarming.
According to him, the frequent loss of journalists to road accidents underscores the urgent need for structured health and life insurance coverage for media practitioners.
He disclosed that the NUJ plans to launch a new insurance scheme for practising journalists nationwide by March, aimed at improving their health, safety and overall well-being.
“The proposed health insurance will help reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses, improve access to healthcare and enhance the welfare of journalists, including women journalists,” Yahya said.
Also speaking, the General Manager of NTA Gombe, Abubakar Adamu, said he was still devastated by the incident, describing the deaths as a painful reminder of life’s fragility.
He commended the Gombe State Government for its support and solidarity since the tragedy and prayed for God’s comfort and strength for the families of the deceased journalists.