By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
Nigeria’s media community was thrown into mourning this week after a fatal road crash on the Yola–Gombe highway claimed the lives of six journalists, a loss that the nation’s chief road safety officer described as both devastating and unacceptable.
The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, said he received the news with profound grief, noting that the journalists were on official travel when the bus conveying members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) was involved in the deadly accident.
In a statement issued from FRSC headquarters in Abuja, the Corps Marshal described the incident as a painful blow not only to the NUJ but to the country at large, stressing that journalists are “voices of truth and conscience” whose loss under preventable circumstances strikes at the heart of national life.
“This tragedy is deeply painful,” he said, lamenting that lives dedicated to informing the public were cut short on a journey that should have ended safely.
Shehu Mohammed extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased, their colleagues, and the wider NUJ community, while offering prayers for the peaceful repose of the departed and the speedy recovery of those who sustained injuries in the crash.
Beyond mourning, the FRSC chief signalled institutional engagement.
He affirmed the Corps’ solidarity with the NUJ and disclosed that FRSC was closely monitoring developments surrounding the incident, working with relevant stakeholders to support emergency response efforts and necessary follow-up actions.
The tragedy, he said, once again exposes the recurring dangers on Nigeria’s highways, dangers often driven by preventable factors.
Using the moment to sound a firm warning, the Corps Marshal reiterated the need for strict compliance with road safety regulations, particularly vehicle roadworthiness, tyre condition, and responsible speed management.
According to him, failures in these basic safety requirements continue to account for a significant number of avoidable deaths on Nigerian roads.
He urged motorists to see road safety not as enforcement pressure but as a shared responsibility, calling on the public to cooperate with the FRSC in its mandate to reduce carnage nationwide.
“As an organisation,” he noted, “our focus remains enforcement, public education, and collaboration with all stakeholders, because no single institution can win the road safety battle alone.”
As tributes pour in for the fallen journalists, the Yola–Gombe crash has reopened difficult conversations about travel safety, institutional responsibility, and the human cost of negligence.
For the media community, the loss is personal and profound.
For the nation, it is another stark reminder that every journey demands vigilance and that silence on safety comes at a terrible price.
