Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has expressed immense sorrow over the tragic fatalities of 22 athletes from Kano State who died in a tragic road accident while returning from the National Sports Festival that was held in Abeokuta.

In a message posted on his official X handle, the Peoples Democratic Party’s 2023 presidential candidate described the athletes as, “dedicated, talented and full of promise,” saying that their loss is a blow not just to Kano State but to the entire nation.

“I am heartbroken by news of the tragic accident that took the lives of 21 Kano state athletes returning from the National Sports Festival in Abeokuta,” Atiku wrote.

“These young men and women who have been cut in their prime represented the very best of our nation.”

He urged the need for stricter safety measures to prevent these types of occurrences saying, “It is necessary to put in place and enforce safety measures to stem accidents and prevent loss of lives,” he wrote.

Atiku extended his condolences to the affected families, the Kano state government, and the Nigerian sports community as a whole, praying for the peaceful repose of the deceased.