Thirteen journalists from various media organizations were involved in a road accident on Friday, February 6, while covering an official project tour in Bauchi State.
The incident occurred along the Yashi-Yelwan Duguri Road in Alkaleri Local Government Area shortly after the delegation, led by the Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari Ahmadu, had commissioned a Government Secondary School project in Yelwan Duguri.
The journalists, who sustained varying degrees of injury, were initially rushed to Yelwan Duguri Hospital for emergency treatment. Arrangements were subsequently made to transfer them to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Teaching Hospital in Bauchi for further medical attention.
The affected reporters and correspondents represent a range of media outlets, including Channels Television, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), African Independent Television (AIT), the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Arise News, and members of the Correspondents’ Chapel. They were part of a media team covering the inspection and commissioning of projects by the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
The touring delegation included the Minister of State for Regional Development, the Chairman and Managing Director of the NEDC, the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, and other government officials. All other members of the delegation were reported to be safe.