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Lost Talents on Our Roads: A Call to Remember, Support, and Act

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Lost Talents on Our Roads: A Call to Remember, Support, and Act

By: Mohamed Malick Fall & Shehu Mohammed

Every day, lives are shattered. Dreams are cut short. Families are left in silence. On our roads, tragedy unfolds, not in distant lands, but in our own streets and communities. Children, young people, parents, neighbours—gone forever.

This is no ordinary loss. This is a pandemic of sorrow. A hidden crisis claiming millions each year. According to the WHO 2023 Global status report on road safety, road crashes claim approximately 1.19 million lives and injure nearly 50 million people annually, with the greatest burden borne by low- and middle-income countries.

In Africa, road traffic remains the leading cause of death among youth aged 5–29, with pedestrians and cyclists among the most vulnerable. Each number is not just a statistic; it is a life, a story, a promise unfulfilled.

On this World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, we pause, remember, and mourn. But remembrance is not enough, we must act.

In Nigeria, every life lost on the road is a talent lost to our nation: a young person, a parent, a worker, taken too soon. A quiet room where laughter once lived. A deserted playground.

An empty stage. These are the spaces where absence speaks the loudest.
Road traffic injury is one of the leading causes of death for children and young people; the leaders, innovators, artists, teachers, and builders of tomorrow. When we lose them, we lose potential, progress, and hope.

Too often, our response is muted. Laws are weak, enforcement is inconsistent, and road deaths are treated lightly. A crash is called an “accident,” as if fate alone is to blame. But we know better: these are preventable tragedies. Every crash has a cause. Every injury leaves a mark that can last a lifetime.

We must acknowledge the tireless work of emergency responders, police, paramedics, and doctors. They face heartbreak daily, rushing to scenes of carnage, lifting bodies, comforting the wounded, offering solace where sorrow overwhelms. They are heroes, but even their courage cannot compensate for unsafe roads and broken systems.

The World Day of Remembrance calls on us to Remember. Support. Act. We remember the lives lost. We support those left behind—the families, the injured, and the communities. We act with urgency, compassion, and resolve.

Action begins with awareness. Every road user must understand that safety is a shared responsibility. Roads are not racetracks. Vehicles are not weapons. Speed kills. Distraction kills. Carelessness kills. Respect saves lives.

Action requires enforcement. Traffic laws must be clear, fair, and applied consistently. Speed limits are lifelines. Seatbelts, helmets, and child restraints are shields against death. Every driver, passenger, and cyclist must feel the weight of responsibility.

Action demands infrastructure. Safe roads, clear signs, pedestrian crossings, street lighting, and proper markings save lives. Governments, communities, and civil society must design roads that protect rather than endanger.

Action calls for empathy. Victims and their families deserve support, psychological care, medical aid, legal assistance, compensation, and recognition. The pain of loss should never be deepened by neglect.

On this day, we honor those taken too soon and the resilience of those who survive. We pledge not to let their talents vanish into silence. Their stories will guide us; their memory will drive us to change.

Every life saved is a victory. Every law enforced is progress. Every child protected is a promise kept. We have the knowledge, the tools, and the will. What remains is action; bold, urgent, persistent.

To the families of those lost: your grief is seen. Your sorrow is shared. Your loved ones are not forgotten. Their memory lives in every campaign, every policy, every act of prevention.

To our leaders: the cost of inaction is measured in lives; the cost of indifference, in tears. Invest in road safety. Strengthen laws. Build safer streets. Educate citizens. Every measure matters. Every moment counts.

To every citizen: your choices matter. Your speed matters. Your attention matters. One second of caution can save a lifetime. One act of responsibility can prevent unimaginable pain.

On this World Day of Remembrance, we say again: Remember. Support. Act. Not tomorrow, not later, but today.
Let us turn grief into resolve, loss into action. Roads must become safe again. Talents must not be lost again. Lives must be valued. Families must be spared. Together, we can rewrite the story of our roads.

Remember the lost. Support the living. Act to prevent more heartbreak. Every life matters. Every family matters. Every future matters.
Mr Mohamed Malick Fall is the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria while Mr Shehu Mohammed (mni) is the Corps Marshal/ CEO of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)

Lost Talents on Our Roads: A Call to Remember, Support, and Act

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Two die following clash at Tumbi Market in Gamawa LGA in Bauchi

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Two die following clash at Tumbi Market in Gamawa LGA in Bauchi

By: Zagazola Makama

Two young men have died following a violent altercation at Tumbi Market in Bachel Village, Gamawa Local Government Area, Bauchi State.

The incident occurred on March 13, 2026, at about 11:00 p.m., involving Bello Baba, 25, Auwal Bayaro, 20, Umaru Alh Gimba, 18, Haruna Adamu, 20, Yayaji Wakili, 20, and Ori Dadi, 20, all residents of Bachel Village.

Sources said that a disagreement among the group escalated, and the suspects reportedly attacked each other using sticks, resulting in serious injuries.

The injured were immediately conveyed to General Hospital, Gamawa, where Bello Baba and Auwal Bayaro succumbed to their injuries. Their remains have been released to their families for burial.

Police have intensified efforts to apprehend the other individuals involved.

They said that the case remains under investigation, and further updates will be communicated as developments unfold.

Two die following clash at Tumbi Market in Gamawa LGA in Bauchi

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UNICEF vaccinates 330 children in Gombe IDP camp

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UNICEF vaccinates 330 children in Gombe IDP camp

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Gombe State Government, has vaccinated no fewer than 333 displaced children sheltering in a camp in the state.

The children alongside their parents were displaced from their communities in Alkaleri Local Government Area, Bauchi State, following attacks by bandits on their villages.

The victims are currently staying in a camp located in Kashere town of Akko Local Government Area, Gombe State.

The Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Abdulrahman Shuaibu, while speaking during the visit of UNICEF team to the camp on Friday said health interventions were ongoing to support displaced families.

Shuaibu said that children’s health remained a priority, with several zero-dose children already vaccinated.

He said that about 300 children had received routine immunisation as of Thursday, adding that 33 children previously classified as zero-dose had also been vaccinated.

He further said girls that are nine years old were receiving human papilloma virus vaccines.

“What we have done in the health section is to ensure we conduct reactive vaccination amongst children.

“We have a lot of children that are zero-dose, meaning they are children that have never received any form of vaccines, we have started immunising them.

“We have other children that are less than five that are receiving routine immunisation.

“We have our outreach team that come here at least three times a week to vaccinate children and we have surveillance officers amongst the IDPs that also refer clients from the IDPs to our nearby facilities for treatment,” he said.

According to him, two children had died in the camp while two babies had been delivered since the displaced families arrived.

The state government, he said, was working with UNICEF to provide therapeutic food for malnourished children.

On her part, Chief of the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Nuzhat Rafique, said her team visited the camp to support the displaced persons with 600 dignity and WASH kits to improve hygiene and sanitation at the camp.

Dr Rafique said that the intervention aimed to prevent disease outbreaks and improve conditions in the camp.

She expressed concern over poor sanitation and stressed the need to strengthen hygiene practices to safeguard the health of women and children.

“UNICEF is here especially to support immunisation and health services for pregnant and lactating mothers, including deliveries at a nearby facility where services are available.

“Today we distributed hygiene and dignity kits because sanitation is very poor here and hygiene must improve to prevent cholera and other diseases.”

On immunisation, Rafique said vaccination had also begun for many children who had not previously received routine immunisation.

She explained that several zero-dose children at the camp were now being covered under the immunisation programme.

According to her, children who had never attended school were also being supported through plans to establish temporary learning facilities.

“So we will establish a safe learning space so these children can begin learning and continue when they return to their communities,” she said.

Rafique commended the governments of Gombe and Bauchi states for supporting displaced persons.

She also praised the host community for helping to manage the camp and maintain order among residents.

UNICEF vaccinates 330 children in Gombe IDP camp

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India Strengthens Youth Ties with Nigeria Through Essay Competition Awards

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India Strengthens Youth Ties with Nigeria Through Essay Competition Awards

By: Michael Mike

The High Commission of India in Nigeria has honoured Nigerian winners of an essay competition organised under its newly introduced “Youth Junction” initiative, a programme designed to deepen youth engagement and strengthen people-to-people relations between India and Nigeria.

The prize distribution ceremony which took place at the High Commission in Abuja, drew participation from Nigerian and Indian youths who gathered to celebrate academic excellence, creativity and the growing partnership between the two nations.

Speaking at the event, India’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhishek Singh, said the Youth Junction initiative was created to provide a dynamic platform for young people in both countries to interact, share ideas and explore collaborative opportunities.

He explained that the programme seeks to inspire creativity, learning and innovation among youth while also promoting cultural understanding and strengthening the longstanding diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

Singh noted that young people remain central to the future of bilateral cooperation, stressing that platforms such as Youth Junction would encourage meaningful exchanges and partnerships in areas of shared interest.

The essay competition, which formed part of the initiative, was launched on February 6, 2026 with the theme “Strength of India–Nigeria Bilateral Relationship.” The contest invited Nigerian students to reflect on the evolving partnership between the two countries and highlight opportunities for deeper cooperation.

A representative of Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, commended the initiative, describing it as an important platform for strengthening bilateral relations through youth-driven engagement.

The representative noted that by bringing young Nigerians and Indians together, the initiative would encourage collaboration in areas such as technology, entrepreneurship, cultural exchange and digital skills development.

Participants at the event expressed optimism that sustained youth-focused programmes would open new avenues for cooperation and mutual understanding between both countries.

The High Commission congratulated the award recipients and reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the Youth Junction initiative as part of broader efforts to deepen the enduring partnership between India and Nigeria.

India Strengthens Youth Ties with Nigeria Through Essay Competition Awards

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