Tragedy as former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State loses two children in fatal car accident

• Former Bauchi State Deputy Governor Senator Baba Tela lost two children, Mustapha and Ummi, in a fatal road accident.

• The siblings died while travelling along the Bauchi–Azare highway, while other occupants sustained injuries.

• Governor Bala Mohammed described the incident as a devastating loss and prayed for the family.

• Former Senate President Bukola Saraki also extended his condolences to Senator Tela and his family.

Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Baba Tela, has been thrown into mourning following the death of two of his children, Mustapha and Ummi, in a fatal road accident along the Bauchi–Azare highway.

The tragic crash occurred on Saturday while the siblings were returning to Bauchi from Azare, the headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area. According to reports, both victims died on the spot due to the severity of the accident, while other occupants of the vehicle sustained varying degrees of injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. 

The bodies of Mustapha and Ummi were later evacuated to a hospital in Bauchi, where medical personnel confirmed their deaths before they were released to the family for burial. 

Funeral prayers for the deceased siblings were held at the Bauchi Emir's Palace, attracting hundreds of mourners, including family members, political associates, Islamic clerics and sympathisers. The two were subsequently laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rites.

Reacting to the tragedy, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed expressed deep sorrow over the loss, describing it as a painful moment not only for Senator Tela's family but for the entire state.

In a condolence message issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, the governor said:

"The tragic loss of the two young siblings is not only an unimaginably devastating blow to Senator Baba Tela and his immediate family, but also a painful loss to the entire people of Bauchi State."

Governor Mohammed prayed for Allah to grant the deceased eternal rest, comfort the bereaved family and grant those injured in the accident a speedy recovery.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki also condoled with the former deputy governor and his family.

In a message shared on his Facebook page, Saraki wrote:

"We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. Me and my family are extending our condolences to my brother, Senator Baba Tela, whose two children died, Mustapha and Ummi, as a result of a car accident."

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He prayed for Allah to forgive the deceased, grant them Aljannatul Firdaus and give the bereaved family the strength to bear the irreparable loss. 

Senator Tela served as Deputy Governor of Bauchi State from 2019 to 2023. He also represented Bauchi in the Senate between 2003 and 2007, served as Chairman of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)and is a non-executive independent director at Zenith Bank Plc. 

The tragic incident has elicited an outpouring of condolences from political leaders, friends and well-wishers across the country, many of whom have described the deaths as a heartbreaking loss for the Tela family.