At least 20 athletes from Kano State have been confirmed dead following a road accident that occurred hours after leaving Ogun State where they completed during the National Sports Festival (NSF).
The deceased including a journalist were said to be among the 35 athletes and officials that left venue of the Sports Festival in Ogun State after it was declared closed.
As gathered, the auto crash occurred barely two days after the biennial NSF event ended with Delta winning the overall medal after the tournament.
On Saturday, it was learnt that the incident occurred at the Dakatsalle Bridge in Kura Local Government Area of the state.
Eyewitnesses narrated that the bus conveying the athletes lost control and plunged into the river under the bridge.
Confirming the news, Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Umar Fagge, stated that the athletes were returning from the National Sports Festival held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He said: “As I am speaking to you now, we have counted 19 bodies, the bus, which was carrying 30 persons, including athletes and officials, fell off the bridge”
“Rescue efforts are ongoing, and the injured have been taken to the Kura General Hospital for medical treatment”.
A former Vice President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Ado Salisu, also confirmed the accident and the number of casualties.
Salisu noted that among the deceased is the son of Salisu Jegu, a sports journalist with Express Radio, who accompanied the team for better publicity during and after the game.
