Tears and Tragedy as 21 Kano Sports Delegates Die in Ghastly Road Crash

What should have been a triumphant return from the 2024 National Sports Festival has turned into a nightmare for the Kano sporting community, as 21 members of its contingent tragically lost their lives in a devastating auto crash.

The horrific accident occurred early Saturday morning at Dakasoye, a town roughly 50 kilometers from Kano, after the delegation had travelled overnight from Abeokuta, Ogun State the host of the sports festival.

According to eyewitness accounts and confirmation from officials, an official coastal bus carrying 36 passengers veered off a nearby bridge around 9 a.m. and plunged into a ditch, leaving 15 other occupants critically injured.

Among the deceased were young, promising athletes, a respected journalist, the Chief Medical Officer of the team, a Public Relations Officer of the Kano Sports Commission, and several sports administrators whose names are yet to be formally released.

The news has sent shockwaves across the nation’s sports community, plunging Kano State into deep mourning.

Ado Salisu, a senior journalist who was part of the delegation but travelled in a different vehicle, confirmed the heartbreaking development to The Guardian. He described the scene as “devastating,” adding that the bus lost control and plunged off a bridge, leading to a mass casualty incident.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene, and the injured victims have since been taken to Kura General Hospital and the Murtala Mohammed Specialists Hospital in Kano for urgent medical attention.

While the full details and identities of the victims are still being verified, the Kano State Government and the Kano State Sports Commission are expected to make formal statements and begin arrangements for a state-wide day of mourning.

The tragic loss underscores the risks athletes and officials often face during long road travels, and has reignited discussions on the need for improved travel logistics, road safety measures, and emergency response protocols for sporting contingents across Nigeria.

As families await the return of their loved ones, not with medals and cheers, but with grief and silence, the nation joins Kano in mourning what will go down as one of the darkest moments in the history of Nigerian sports.

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