A tragic road accident has resulted in the deaths of at least 20 athletes from Kano State who were returning from the recently concluded 2025 National Sports Festival, also known as the Gateway Games, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The fatal crash occurred on Saturday at the Dakatsalle Bridge in the Kura Local Government Area of Kano State. According to reports, the athletes were aboard a bus that veered off the bridge and crashed, leading to multiple fatalities.
Confirming the incident, Umar Fagge, Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, disclosed that the bus was carrying 30 athletes at the time of the accident.
“As I speak to you, we have so far counted 19 dead bodies,” Fagge said with deep sorrow, noting that several others were injured and are receiving medical attention.
Eyewitness accounts describe a chaotic scene as emergency services and local residents worked together to rescue the survivors and recover the bodies.
Ado Salisu, former Vice President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), revealed that some injured individuals were still being transported to the Kura General Hospital for urgent treatment and identification.
Meanwhile, Abdullahi Labaran, the Public Relations Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kano, also confirmed the accident. However, he stated that the agency had not yet verified the exact number of casualties and those injured in the crash.