Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Several journalists were injured on Friday, February 6, 2026, in a road accident in Bauchi State, northeastern Nigeria, while covering the commissioning of development projects by the North East Development Commission (NEDC). The incident occurred along the Yashi–Yelwan Duguri Road in Alkaleri Local Government Area, shortly after a Government Secondary School project was handed over to the Bauchi State Government.
The media team was travelling as part of a high-profile delegation led by the Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari Ahmadu, which also included the Chairman and Managing Director of the NEDC, the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, and other government officials. The group was on a tour to commission and hand over several completed projects in the state when the vehicle conveying journalists veered off the road.
Eyewitness accounts and early reports indicate that the accident occurred during an attempted overtaking manoeuvre along the rural roadway. The vehicle carrying the media personnel lost control, left the road and overturned, throwing occupants from their seats and causing varying degrees of injury. Media workers from national and regional news organisations, including Channels Television, African Independent Television (AIT), the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Arise Television, and other outlets represented through the Correspondents’ Chapel, were among those affected.
Initial emergency treatment was administered at the Yelwan Duguri General Hospital, where the most seriously hurt journalists were taken immediately following the crash. Due to the severity of some injuries, those affected were later transferred to larger medical facilities, including the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital and the Bauchi Specialist Hospital, to receive further care.
Reports suggest that at least 13 journalists sustained injuries in the crash, although official confirmation from medical authorities is still pending as assessments continue. The range of injuries is understood to include fractures, head trauma and other serious bodily harm, reflecting the violent nature of the vehicle overturning during the accident.
The development comes only weeks after another tragic road accident in neighbouring Gombe State, where multiple journalists and media workers lost their lives returning from a colleague’s event — an event that garnered widespread national attention and mourning. That earlier crash, which occurred along the Billiri–Kumo Road, claimed the lives of seven journalists and left several others injured, prompting calls for better road safety measures and support for the media community.
In Bauchi, emergency responders and officials from the state government were reported to have visited the hospital to check on the injured journalists and coordinate their care. The Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Rt Hon Auwal Jatau, personally led a delegation to the medical facility to assess the situation and help facilitate further treatment for those seriously hurt.
Road safety concerns have loomed large in Nigeria’s northern states, where rural highways and inter-community roads can be treacherous, especially under conditions of poor surfacing, limited signage and high traffic speeds. The Yashi–Yelwan Duguri Road, like many others in the region, is a weathered rural route that has seen periodic complaints from motorists about conditions that contribute to accidents.
The NEDC project commissioning tour in Bauchi had been part of a broader effort to showcase and hand over developmental achievements in education, health, infrastructure and other sectors intended to support post-insurgency rebuilding and economic growth in Nigeria’s Northeast. Projects delivered in the state during this tour include schools, healthcare facilities and other public assets aimed at expanding access to essential services.
Leaders of the media community and professional bodies are expected to respond formally to the incident, as journalists and correspondents across Nigeria continue to emphasise the risks they face in covering events, particularly in regions with challenging road and security conditions. The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and other media organisations often advocate for improved safety protocols, insurance cover and emergency assistance frameworks for media workers placed in harm’s way during field assignments.
As investigations into the Bauchi accident proceed, authorities are likely to assess the causes, including vehicle maintenance, driver conduct, road conditions and other factors that may have contributed to the crash. Families and colleagues of those injured have expressed deep concern, and there are growing calls within the industry for more comprehensive support systems to protect journalists working in demanding field environments.
The outcome of this incident may prompt renewed discussions on transport safety, journalist welfare and accountability for infrastructure quality in Nigeria’s evolving development landscape.
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