The Kano State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to address accidents on the roads across the state.
The Deputy Governor and Acting Governor of Kano State, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, made the assertion while receiving the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Shehu Mohammed who visited the Government House to offer condolences, following the passing of twenty-two members of the state’s sports delegation at the just concluded National Sports Festival held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The Acting Governor commended the FRSC for its prompt investigation into the cause of the accident, requesting that the government be informed of the findings to take appropriate action.
Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo described the accident as a tragic incident that resulted in the loss of young lives of the athletes who participated in a national festival competition not only to win awards but to promote unity and lasting peace among communities across the country.
“I am indeed very happy receiving you this afternoon, coming to commiserate with us over the occurrence of this tragedy in Kano. It is devastating, huge and a very tragic loss. We all know that its God who gives and takes life, but there are factors responsible for such tragedies. The Government has the power to do whatever it takes, to do everything possible to prevent the occurrence of accidents on our roads.
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“You’re here to express your concern and sympathy to us. Losing lives in such numbers at once is very shocking and devastating. They are patriotic; they left their families travelled far away to compete for medals in different sports categories. They were on a national mission, serving the nation, and they lost their lives in national service.
“We had 29 medals, we were anxiously waiting for their return to have a colorful celebration. But unfortunately, they had an accident just a few kilometers from reaching Kano, and 22 died on the spot. This is devastating and very tragic.” He pointed out.
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Earlier in his remarks, the FRSC Boss, Shehu Muhammed, represented by the North West Zonal Commanding Officer, ACM Ahmad Umar, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, the government, and the people of Kano State.
He stressed that road accidents do not happen randomly but have underlying causes that must be addressed to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Malam Shehu Muhammad noted that the site of the accident, known as Gadan ‘Yan Kifi, has a notorious reputation for fatal road incidents.
He mentioned that the Corps has already made significant progress in investigating the remote and immediate causes of the accident and noting that the Commission will provide the recommendations to the Kano state Government to mitigate future occurrences.
The Corps Marshal offered prayers for the deceased, asking for Allah’s mercy and for strength and patience for their families, as well as healing for the injured.
“We call on the government to co-opt FRSC officials in such kinds of travel in the future for our professional advice.”
During the visit, the Acting Governor was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, along with other top government officials.
On the other hand, the Corps Marshal was accompanied by sector commanders from the four states within the zone, including Muhammad B. Bature (Kano), Tijjani Ilyasu (Kaduna), M.K. Lede (Katsina), and U.M. Matazu (Jigawa).
