21 students and three teachers died in a road accident on Tuesday in Gaya local government area of Kano state, local media report.
The students and teachers from Government Day Junior Secondary School in Misau, Bauchi State, were returning from an excursion when their bus collided head-on with a trailer at about 11.00 a.m.
According to a witness, the bus collided with the truck as both were trying to avoid a pothole at Samia Uku village.
A funeral prayer for the victims led by the Chief Imam of Misau Central Mosque was held in Misau amidst sobs by parents and relations.
Socioeconomic activities across the Misau town were suspended upon receiving the news of the tragic accident.
Nasiru Darazo, elder brother to one of the deceased students, Ibrahim Girema, described their death as a ‘colossal loss’.
“These are young men whom we are looking up to as leaders of tomorrow; today, they are no more.
“I have never seen such a tragedy; their remains were all smashed; you would not like to look at their bodies twice,” he told the state news agency.
