Another tragedy has hit the Nigeria sports sector as Twenty-two athletes and officials representing Kano State have died in a fatal road crash involving a coaster bus that lost control due to brake failure on their return from the 2024 Gateway Games in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The accident, which occurred on the evening of Sunday, June 1, 2025, has left several others injured and hospitalized, according to eyewitness accounts and state officials.
The deceased were part of the Kano State contingent that participated in the recently concluded National Sports Festival held in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State. The event, also known as the Gateway Games 2024, gathered athletes from across Nigeria to compete in multiple sports disciplines over the span of one week.
According to a survivor, Dorothy Okwuzuluike, the coaster bus conveying the athletes was in poor condition and had broken down multiple times during the trip. Okwuzuluike, speaking from her hospital bed with a bandaged leg, recalled the terrifying moment the driver lost control of the bus. “All I can remember is like the driver lost control after the bus brake failed,” she said in a viral video. “The only thing I can remember was that I held onto the seat in front of me firmly. The next thing was that I found myself at the hospital.”
Describing the ordeal, Okwuzuluike revealed that the team had already spent four days on the road, two going and two returning due to the poor condition of the vehicle. “The vehicle was not sound, as it was always breaking down along the way. It would break down, we would stop, and they would effect repair. After another few kilometres, it would break down again,” she said. “It was a horrifying experience.” The Kano State Sports Council spokesperson, Ado Salisu, confirmed the death of Galadima Ibrahim, a council official, among the casualties.
Former Senator Shehu Sani has expressed deep sorrow over the incident, calling on the Kano State Government and the Federal Government to support the bereaved families and immortalize the fallen athletes. He criticized the continued neglect of safe transportation for national contingents, stating that such losses are avoidable and preventable.
Several injured individuals are currently receiving treatment at the Kura General Hospital. Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the vehicle’s condition and the logistics of the athletes’ transportation. Public outcry has grown, demanding accountability from the Kano State Sports Commission and transport officials.