The Gombe State Government has disbursed a total of ₦14 million to the families of seven journalists who lost their lives in a tragic motor accident along the Billiri–Kumo Road.
The fatal crash occurred on Monday, December 29, 2025, as the journalists were returning from the wedding ceremony of a colleague in Kaltungo Local Government Area.
Each of the bereaved families received ₦2 million as financial support from the state government to assist with burial and other related expenses.
The gesture, according to the government, is in line with the commitment of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, to cushion the devastating impact of the loss on the affected families.
Speaking during the disbursement exercise on behalf of the Governor, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, said the administration had earlier provided an initial token of support to the injured victims immediately after the incident.
Professor Njodi further disclosed that the Governor has assumed full responsibility for the medical treatment and hospital bills of journalists who sustained injuries and are currently receiving care.
Professor Njodi also conveyed the Governor’s heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the management of the National Television Authority (NTA), and the entire media community, urging them to find solace in the will of Allah.
In his remarks, the National President of the NUJ, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya Abdullahi, expressed profound appreciation to the Gombe State Government, describing the intervention as swift, compassionate and unprecedented.
He noted that NUJ members nationwide were deeply grateful for the support extended to both the families of the deceased and journalists currently undergoing medical treatment.
Similarly, the General Manager of NTA Gombe, Abubakar Adamu, conveyed the appreciation of the Director-General of the NTA, Salihu Dembos, to Governor Inuwa Yahaya, describing the gesture as a reflection of compassion and responsible leadership. He added that the entire NTA family across the country holds the Gombe State Government in high esteem for the intervention.
Speaking on behalf of the bereaved families, Barrister Abubakar Ahmed described the gesture as the first of its kind in the history of the state
