Five children from one family have died after a water tanker crashed into a commercial tricycle carrying them to school in Gombe metropolis on Tuesday morning.
The accident happened near Kanady Academy, along APC Square in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of the state capital.
The victims were Maryam Mansir Adamu and Usman Mansir Adamu, Primary Five pupils of Jekadafari Primary School; Hauwau Mansir Adamu of Government Junior Secondary School (GJSS), Jekadafari; Aliyu Mansir Adamu of Government Day Secondary School (GDSS), Ahmadu Gombe; and Fatima Mansir Adamu, whose school was not named.
Three other children sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. The drivers involved were also taken to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, for treatment, according to a source at Specialist Hospital, Gombe. The bodies of the five deceased children were deposited at the mortuary.
FRSC Sector Commander in Gombe State, Samson Kaura, confirmed the crash, explaining that his officers arrived after the initial rescue operation and later visited the hospital to confirm the number of casualties.
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya described the tragedy as heartbreaking, saying the deaths were a devastating loss to the family, schools and state.
In a statement by his Director-General of Press Affairs, Ismaila Uba Misilli, Yahaya sympathised with the bereaved family and Jekadafari community, prayed for the injured children’s recovery and urged motorists to obey traffic rules, drive safely, maintain roadworthy vehicles and protect schoolchildren.
He also offered condolences to the affected schools, classmates and community, praying for Almighty Allah to grant the deceased Aljannatul Firdaus and give their family strength to bear the loss.
