Five children from the same family have died after a water tanker crashed into a commercial tricycle carrying them to school in Gombe State.
The accident happened on Tuesday morning near Kanady Academy, along APC Square in the Government Reserved Area, GRA, of Gombe metropolis.
The victims were identified as Maryam Mansir Adamu and Usman Mansir Adamu, both Primary Five pupils at Jekadafari Primary School; Hauwau Mansir Adamu of Government Junior Secondary School, Jekadafari; Aliyu Mansir Adamu of Government Day Secondary School, Ahmadu Gombe; and Fatima Mansir Adamu, whose school was not disclosed.
Three other children sustained injuries in the crash and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The Gombe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Samson Kaura, confirmed the incident.
He explained that "officers arrived at the scene after the initial rescue operation had been completed."
He said FRSC personnel later visited the hospital to determine the number of casualties.
Reacting to the tragedy, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya described the incident as heartbreaking, saying the death of five children from one family was a devastating loss to their parents, relatives, schools and the entire state.
In a statement issued by his Director-General of Press Affairs, Ismaila Uba Misilli, the governor said the children died at an age when they should have been pursuing their education and preparing for a brighter future.
He extended his condolences to the bereaved family and the Jekadafari community, describing the incident as an irreparable loss.
Yahaya also prayed for the quick recovery of the three injured children receiving medical treatment.
The governor urged motorists to exercise caution and take responsibility on the roads, warning that reckless driving and other dangerous practices could cost innocent people their lives.
Five siblings killed as tanker hits school tricycle in Gombe