Kano mourns fallen Athletes, donates N21m, food items to bereaved families

By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has extended condolences and financial assistance to the families of 21 athletes who lost their lives in a tragic road accident while returning from the National Sports Festival held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The athletes died when the bus conveying 35 passengers swerved off the Chiromawa Bridge in Bebeji Local Government Area and plunged off the road.

Nineteen of them died on the spot, while three others succumbed to injuries in hospital. Several others sustained various degrees of injury and are currently receiving treatment at the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Kano, under the sponsorship of the state government.

To support the grieving families, Governor Yusuf, currently in Saudi Arabia, approved a donation of N1 million and food items to each of the 21 affected families—totalling N21 million.

The condolence message was delivered on his behalf by Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, who led a high-powered delegation to both the Nasarawa Specialist Hospital, where the deceased were deposited, and the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, where the injured are being treated.

Speaking through his spokesperson, Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu, the Deputy Governor expressed deep sorrow over the loss, describing it as a monumental tragedy for the families, the people of Kano State, and the Nigerian sports community at large.

During the visits, the government delegation met with grieving relatives, offered prayers for the repose of the deceased, and assured the injured of continued government support.

Gwarzo also pledged the administration’s commitment to enhancing safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.