How Channels Cameraman Kani Ben Lost His Life Covering NEDC Project

Kani Ben, a cameraman with Channels Television in Bauchi State, has died from injuries he suffered in a road accident while covering the commissioning of projects by the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

The accident happened on February 7 when a bus carrying journalists lost control and somersaulted several times.

Another Channels TV reporter, Hajara Aliyu, survived the crash.

Reacting to the sad news, the Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) described the incident as shocking. In a statement signed by its State Secretary, Isah Garba Gadau, the union expressed deep sympathy to Ben’s family, colleagues, and friends.

The NUJ also suspended its planned congress meeting scheduled for Monday, February 16, until further notice.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, also expressed sadness over Ben’s death in a statement issued by his media aide, Mukhtar Gidado. He described the death as painful and heartbreaking and praised Ben for his dedication to duty.

According to the governor, Ben died in the early hours of Sunday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital despite efforts by doctors to save him.

He extended his condolences to Ben’s family, Channels Television, and the entire media community, praying for his soul to rest in peace.

Ben was the only journalist who died from the accident. Others injured in the crash were from African Independent Television (AIT), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), DAILY POST, and members of the Correspondents’ Chapel.

The crash happened along the Yashi–Yelwan Duguri Road in Alkaleri Local Government Area. It occurred shortly after the NEDC delegation, led by the Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari Ahmadu, and accompanied by Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, handed over a Government Secondary School project in Yelwan Duguri to the Bauchi State Government.

The team was on its way to commission the Bara Bridge, which connects Bauchi and Gombe states, when the accident happened.

The injured journalists were first taken to Yelwan Duguri Hospital for treatment before being moved to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital and the Bauchi Specialist Hospital for further medical care.