Two persons died while 20 others were injured following a crash involving a convoy of the Minister of Youth Development and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung. It was gathered that the incident occurred yesterday around 12pm near Akko village along the Gombe airport road.
The minister was in Gombe for the congress of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) scheduled for Saturday (yesterday).
It was learnt that the driver of a Peugeot 406 who was on his way from Gombe lost control of his car and rammed into the minister’s convoy that was in the opposite direction.
A witness, Sunday Cika, said a jeep and a bus in the convoy carrying delegates for the congress somersaulted and 20 persons, including the acting National President of the NYCN, Mr Chinedu Mayor, were injured. According to the witness, the driver of the 406, who was said to also be a delegate to the congress, died on the spot after his car was gutted by fire. The body of a yet to be identified person was found under a car near the accident scene.
Addressing the delegates at the Pantami Stadium, venue of the NYCN congress, Barrister Dalung sympathised with families of the victims. He also announced the postponement of the congress to Sunday (today). When contacted, the Gombe State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Obed Mary Malum, said she was not aware of the incident.
However, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Tairu Shina Olukolu, visited the casualties at the hospital, but declined to speak with newsmen.
