On Saturday, January 9, 2021, what should have been a routine trip back to Abuja for the family of Nuhu Hamman’Gabdo turned out to be a tragedy that sent the entire community of Serti, in Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba State, into mourning.
Hamman’Gabdo, a Principal Manager at the Human Capital and Administration Department of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), died in a car accident alongside his wife, Hadiza S.M. Nguroje; their four children – Ummi, Ayman, Firdausi and Abdullah; his niece, Zainab, and the family’s driver.
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Daily Trust gathered that his family was the first to travel by road to Taraba before he joined them two days later by air.
After spending the festive period in Gashaka and on their way back to Abuja, death came calling when a speedy VW Sharan bus collided with their car along Akwanga Road in Nasarawa State.
While confirming the incident last Sunday, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) explained that the accident occurred at a hilly bend at Agwada town as the commercial vehicle tried to overtake their car.
Burnt beyond recognition
Unfortunately, the FRSC Unit Commander in Akwanga, Assistant Corps Commander Ebere Onyegbaduo, noted that the two vehicles were engulfed in flames, with the occupants trapped, resulting in the death of 17 people who were burnt beyond recognition.
A check on late Hamman’Gabdo’s Facebook page showed that he last posted on his wall on December 10, 2020 a smiling selfie he used to participate in the #proudly_unimaid_alumnus_challenge.
Similarly, Zainab made a video clip with the four children, which was posted on her WhatsApp status, shortly after embarking on the journey.
“When news of the tragedy got to Gashaka, at first we were shocked and in denial and could not believe he was dead,” said Abubakar Hamma’Diko, the Information Officer of Gashaka, who added that it was not until the next day before it dawned on them that the family was gone forever.
Hamma’Diko, who spoke with our correspondent on phone, stated, “the family’s death was a painful one but we can’t question Allah for taking their lives at this point in time because they left the community hale and hearty.”
He added that through Hamman’Gabdo, who holds the traditional title of Ubandoma of Gashaka kingdom, 45 primary schools in the community were given computers and broadband connectivity to enable children there to be computer literate.
Aborted future plans
“He has a future plan especially with the progress of Gashaka kingdom and the people here; he has been contributing to the development of the community through cash and kindness.
“He has serious concerns for the youth of the community to ensure they have sustenance and do not become idle,” he added.
When our correspondent visited his house at El-Salem Estate in Lugbe, Abuja, it was undergoing a facelift which. according to a neighbour, was an annual activity the deceased carried out.
Remnants of sand and a POP plaster removed from the exterior could be seen outside waiting to be discarded or reused.
Barrister Umar Muhammad, whose house is next to that of Hamman’Gabdo, stated that their relationship had been cordial since they both moved into the estate six years ago.
“He was a good man who related well with everyone who crossed his path.
“Through his encouragement, I moved to my flat due to the many problems the estate was facing and since then, we have become family.
“When news of his death got to me, I was shocked and had to visit the scene that very day. The scene was pathetic as their bodies were burnt beyond recognition,” he said.
The last person he spoke with
He also stated that the bond between the two families was so strong that each person’s house has become home to the other.
“I was the last person he spoke with in Abuja. He didn’t travel with his family the same day because he started the renovation of the house on the day, so he asked me to monitor the progress until he came back. His children [used to] come to my house.
“Zainab just graduated from Nile University Abuja, and was doing her National Youth Service, NYSC.
“She was about to get married and some of the items in preparation for the wedding were kept in my house,” he said.
Another neighbour, Dr Murtala Ibrahim, described the deceased as humble, reserved, religious, and a person who had no issue with those that crossed his path.
“We have been together in this estate for a very long time and he is a very quiet person; if it was not because we usually met at the mosque, he was a person you would not notice.
“The mosque gave us room to converge and conduct our daily prayers together.
“Honestly we have lost a great neighbour and a kind person. He used to contribute financially towards the maintenance of the estate and the Muslim community will miss him”, he said.
Gashaka still in shock
The palace of Lamdo Gashaka and the entire people of the chiefdom are yet to recover from the shock of the death of Yarima Nuhu, his wife, four children, niece, and his driver last Saturday in a ghastly motor accident.
Ubandoman Gashaka, as he was fondly called, came to Serti, the headquarters of Gashaka chiefdom, late last year to attend the wedding of a sister to his wife who was a younger sister to former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Babangida Nguroje.
After attending the wedding, which took place at Nguroje in Sardauna Local Government, he and his family members spent time at Serti and mixed freely with people of the chiefdom.
The Lamido Gashaka, who is a brother to the late Ubandoma, told Daily Trust that the late Nuhu was an honest and truthful person.
“If you want an honest advice, ask Ubandoma, he would always be honest and straight forward”, he said.
Just like the Lamido, another close associate of late Nuhu, Mallam Yakubu, said the deceased was very passionate about the development of his community.
Mallam Yakubu stated that just before the late Nuhu left for Yola en route to Abuja, he told him that his ambition in life was to build a standard school as part of his contribution to the education of the young ones in Serti town and the entire Gashaka chiefdom.
“I will remember late Ubandoma for his honesty, generosity, frankness and above all his good intention of building a standard school which will offer both Islamic and Western education, but unfortunately, he died without realizing that ambition”, he said.
A close friend and schoolmate of the late Ubandoma, the Sarkin Shanun Gombe, Umar Mohammed, said he had lost a friend whom he wiould continue to remember for his honesty, straightforwardness and generosity.
Just before the accident
He said when he received the sad news, he couldn’t believe it initially but as a Muslim, he came to realize that every soul must one day answer that call.
A nephew of the late Nuhu who lost his sister (Zainab) in the accident, Munir Mustapha told Daily Trust that just a few minutes to the incident; he called her (Zainab) on phone and she informed him that they were entering Akwanga, Nasarawa State,
He added that the whole incident was still a mystery to him.
“It was very sad and devastating when the news came to us of the incident which claimed uncle Nuhu, his wife, my sister (Zainab) and his entire children and his driver”, he said.
He said late Nuhu was a brother to his late father, Prince Mustapha Hamman’Gabdo, adding that he took care of them just the way their father would have done.
“My sister Zainab graduated from Nile University in Abuja last year where she read Microbiology and would have done her National Service if not because of COVID-19; may Allah grant them Aljannah Firdausi”, he prayed.
A younger brother of the deceased, Yakubu Hamman’Gabdo, described the death as a great loss to the entire Gashaka chiefdom.
He said the late Nuhu was to travel by air from Yola but changed his mind and decided to travel by road.
Daily Trust learnt that hundreds of people, amongst them key personalities including the Taraba State Deputy Governor Haruna Manu; emirs and traditional rulers have been trooping to the palace of Lamido Gashaka to register their condolences.
