Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, a Southwest chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has blamed the “terrible state of roads in the country” for the accident that claimed the lives of 22 athletes from Kano State.
The victims were part of a 30-member delegation returning from the 22nd National Sports Festival in Ogun State. Their vehicle plunged off a bridge near Dakatsalle, leaving only a handful alive. Many of the athletes had just contacted loved ones to say they were home.
“It is distressing that 20 promising young athletes who represented Kano State at the Gateway 2024 Games lost their lives in such avoidable circumstances,” Ajadi said.
In his Sunday statement, Ajadi called the tragedy “heartbreaking,” and urged authorities to prioritise road safety and infrastructure.
He described the timing just days before Eid-el-Kabir as especially painful. The athletes, he said, were excited and proud after representing their state at a national competition.
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“These were bright, talented individuals with great potential to serve their state and country,” Ajadi added.
To the grieving families, he offered this: “It’s a loss that strikes every mother and father and indeed every citizen.”
“May the souls of these children be in peace and eternal rest,” he prayed.