Gombe Has Lost Its Finest – Pantami Mourns 7 Journalists Killed in Auto Crash
Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic road accident that claimed the lives of seven journalists in Gombe State, describing the incident as a devastating loss to the media profession and the state at large.
The journalists, most of whom were members of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), lost their lives in an auto crash along the Billiri–Gombe road while returning from a colleague’s wedding ceremony.
In an emotional tribute issued on Tuesday, Prof. Pantami said he was heartbroken by the news, noting that the victims were professionals of “courage, commitment and conscience” who devoted their lives to informing the public and strengthening democracy.
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He lamented that what began as a moment of joy and celebration had ended in an irreplaceable tragedy, stressing that the vacuum created by their sudden demise would be deeply felt not only in Gombe State but across the Nigerian media landscape.
Prof. Pantami, who is also the Majidaɗin Daular Usmaniyya and Co-Chairman of the African Union’s 4th Industrial Revolution Policy Council, extended his heartfelt condolences to the management and staff of the NTA, the NUJ, and the families of the deceased.
“Gombe has indeed lost some of its finest people. May Almighty Allah forgive their shortcomings, accept their service to humanity, and grant them Aljannatul Firdaus,” he prayed.
He also offered prayers for journalists and other survivors of the crash, asking Allah to grant them speedy and complete recovery, as well as the strength to resume their vital responsibilities to society.
The tragic incident has once again drawn attention to recurring road safety concerns along the Gombe–Billiri axis. Meanwhile, the NUJ Gombe State Council is expected to organise a valedictory session in honour of the fallen journalists as the media community observes a period of mourning.
By PRNigeria
