Groom, 2 friends killed in Bauchi crash on way to wedding

A joyous occasion turned into a heartbreaking tragedy on Saturday in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, as a police officer and groom-to-be, Superintendent Mustapha Gumau, died in a fatal car crash less than an hour before his scheduled wedding.

The late officer, who was the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Gamawa Division, was reportedly travelling from Gumau to Magaman-Gumau for his wedding fatiha, set for 10 a.m. However, tragedy struck around 9 a.m. when the vehicle he was travelling in crashed.

According to reports, the accident happened near Bargan Tsamiya village when the Mercedes Benz carrying the groom and his friends lost control and collided with an oncoming Opel Vectra.

The crash claimed the lives of SP Gumau and two of his companions, Shuaibu Umar and Sulaiman Musa, at the scene. Other occupants sustained injuries of varying severity.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Bauchi State Police Command, CSP Mohammed Ahmed Wakil, described the loss as deeply painful.

“The Command is in mourning. SP Mustapha Garba was on his way to attend his own wedding when the unfortunate incident occurred,” he said.

“He was in the company of three friends in a Mercedes Benz.

“At Bargan Tsamiya, the vehicle lost control, veered off its lane, and had a head-on collision with an Opel Vectra coming from the opposite direction.”

Wakil added that upon receiving the distress report, the Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Sani-Omolori, immediately instructed the DPO of Toro Division to coordinate the evacuation of the victims to Toro General Hospital.

“Sadly, a medical doctor at the hospital confirmed the groom and two others dead. Their bodies have been released to their families for burial,” he said.

The Police Commissioner has conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and offered prayers for comfort and strength in their time of grief.