Tragedy struck on Saturday as at least 20 athletes from the Kano State contingent lost their lives in a ghastly motor accident at Dakatsalle Bridge, located in the Garun Malam Local Government Area of Kano State. The victims were returning from the just concluded National Sports Festival, Gateway Games 2024, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
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According to a source who spoke to TheNigeriaLawyer, the fatal crash occurred around 8 a.m. when the bus conveying 30 individuals—including athletes, a journalist, medical personnel, and sports administrators—encountered a pothole on the Daka Tsalle bridge, causing it to overturn and plunge from the bridge.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Umar Fagge, described the event as devastating. “As I am talking to you now, we have counted 19 dead bodies,” he said. Fagge added that several others sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention.
Ado Salisu, a former Vice President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), corroborated the report and confirmed that victims were being transported to the Kura General Hospital.
Also reacting, the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kano Sector Command, Abdullahi Labaran, acknowledged the accident but noted that the agency could not confirm the exact number of casualties at the time of reporting. “We just received the report of the accident, so I cannot confirm the exact number of casualties at the moment,” he said.
The accident, which happened approximately 50 kilometres from Kano city, has thrown the entire state into mourning. The sports community and broader public have expressed deep grief over the tragic loss of young talents who proudly represented Kano at the national event.
Though investigations are ongoing, Saturday’s crash underscores growing concerns about road safety and infrastructure conditions in the country.
The 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival was designed to foster unity and celebrate athletic achievement. For Kano, however, it has ended in profound sorrow.
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