Governor Kano declares a day of mourning after the state’s representative athlete is killed at a national sporting event.
According to the local governor, a bus crash in Kano State, northern Nigeria, killed 22 athletes returning from a national sporting event.
The bus reportedly carrying more than 30 passengers jumped off the Chiromawa Bridge on the Kano Zaria Expressway on Saturday, Governor Kano Governor Aba Kabir Yusuf told The Associated Press.
The exact cause of the accident was unknown, but the Federal Highway Safety Corps (FRSC) said after a long overnight trip, “it could have been a result of fatigue and excessive speed.”
Survivors of the collision were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Yusuf said the athletes accompanied by coaches and sports officials represent Kano State at the Nigerian National Sports Festival, and held about 1,000km (620 miles) south of Ogun State.
He declared a day of mourning for the nation on Monday. His aide Aminu Gwarzo said the victim’s family will receive 1 million naira (about $630) and food supplies in support.
The Nigerian Student Association issued a statement, Nigeria’s Daily the Guardian reported that the “heartbreaking” incident “shattered the sadness of the nation, especially the youth and sports community.”
Road accidents are common in Africa’s most populous countries. This is due to poor road conditions and slow enforcement of traffic laws.
At least six people died near the capital Abuja in March after a trailer crashed into a parked vehicle and exploded into flames.
Last year, Nigeria recorded 9,570 road accidents, resulting in 5,421 deaths, according to FRSC data.
Nigeria’s National Sports Festival attracts athletes from 35 states of the country every two years.
Nigerian President Bora Tinubu recently said that games, including sports ranging from wheelchair basketball to traditional West African wrestling, represent “uniformity, strength and resilience that defines us as a nation.”
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