A pall of profound sorrow has descended upon the nation following a horrific road accident that claimed the lives of 21 athletes from Kano State. The tragic incident occurred on Saturday at Gadar Yankifi in the Garun Malam Local Government Area of Kano, as the contingent was returning from the National Sports Festival held in Ogun State.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kano confirmed the devastating toll, reporting that 21 members of the state’s delegation perished, while 11 others sustained injuries of varying severity. The FRSC has attributed the cause of the fatal crash to speeding.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has expressed deep sorrow over the immense loss. In a statement released by NANS National Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, the association described the incident as an irreparable tragedy for both the student and sports communities. “This heartbreaking incident has cast a shadow of grief over the entire nation, particularly the youth and sports communities, as we mourn the untimely demise of these talented individuals who dedicated their lives to representing their state and uplifting the spirit of unity through sports,” Adeyemi lamented.
NANS extended its profound sympathies to the Kano State Government, the Sports Council, the grieving families of the deceased, and the entire populace of Kano, emphasizing that “The loss of these bright stars is not only a loss to their immediate families but to the nation as a whole.”
Adeyemi further urged both federal and state governments to institute more robust safety measures for athletes and all citizens undertaking travel for national events. He stressed the critical need for a thorough investigation into the accident to ascertain its full circumstances and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
Condolences have poured in from across the country. The Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, conveyed his heartfelt condolences via a Facebook post, describing the accident as “heartbreaking” and offering prayers for divine mercy for the departed souls and swift recovery for the injured. “May Allah SWT grant all those who lost their lives Jannatul Firdaus and quicken the recovery of the injured,” he wrote, extending his sympathies to the affected families, the Kano State Government, and the wider sports community.
In response to the profound loss, Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State characterized the crash as a “dark moment” for the state and declared Monday, June 2, 2025, a public holiday as a mark of respect and mourning for the victims.
The tragic event has resonated nationwide, drawing expressions of sympathy and solidarity from prominent figures including President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the Nigerian Governors Forum, all offering their condolences to the bereaved.
