No fewer than 13 journalists from various media organisations in Bauchi were injured on Friday in a ghastly autocrash while covering the commissioning of projects by the North-East Development Commission (NEDC).
The incident occurred along the Yashi-Yelwan Duguri Road in Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state, when the vehicle conveying the journalists veered off the road and tumbled several times, throwing the occupants out.
The crash happened shortly after the delegation, led by the Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari Ahmadu, commissioned and handed over a newly constructed Government Secondary School (GSS) in Yelwan Duguri.
The victims sustained various injuries, including compound fractures, head injuries, and bruises.
They were initially taken to Yelwan Duguri Cottage Hospital for emergency treatment before being transferred to Bauchi General Hospital for further medical attention.
The injured journalists include a reporter from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), correspondents from The Guardian, The Nation, and the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) along with its cameraman, correspondents and cameramen from Channels Television and Arise TV, a correspondent from AIT, two reporters from Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC), a cameraman from Bauchi State Television (BATV), an online media reporter, and the driver.
Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau Mohammed, led the Minister, NEDC management, and board members on a sympathy visit to the Cottage Hospital and directed that the injured be moved to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) for more specialised care.
Rescue operations were carried out by fellow journalists, NEDC officials, and other sympathisers who helped evacuate the victims to the hospital.
Several mobile phones and other journalistic equipment, including cameras, were damaged in the crash.