Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, on Tuesday attended the funeral prayers of seven journalists who lost their lives in a tragic road accident along the Billiri–Kumo Road, and later visited survivors receiving treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Gombe.
The journalists were among media practitioners returning from Kaltungo, where they had attended the wedding ceremony of a colleague, when the fatal accident occurred.
The funeral prayers were held at the Bubayero Central Mosque, Emir’s Palace, Gombe, and were led by Imam Aliyu Hammari. The event attracted a large turnout of mourners, including family members of the deceased, colleagues from the media industry, senior government officials, and traditional rulers. The Emir of Gombe, His Royal Highness Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, CFR, was among those present.
Speaking at the funeral, Governor Inuwa Yahaya described the death of the journalists as a painful loss to Gombe State and the media profession, noting that the deceased were dedicated professionals who contributed significantly to public service through journalism.
After the prayers, the Governor proceeded to FTH Gombe to assess the condition of the survivors of the accident. He expressed gratitude to God for sparing their lives and prayed for their speedy recovery.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya extended the condolences of the Gombe State Government to the families of the deceased, their organisations, and the entire media fraternity, urging them to accept the incident as the will of God.
He announced that the Gombe State Government has taken over the full medical bills of all injured victims and would also assist with funeral expenses of the deceased journalists
