Kano, Nigeria — Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has donated ₦110 million to support the families of 22 athletes from Kano State who tragically lost their lives in a road accident earlier this year.
The donation, made under the Victim Support Fund initiative, was announced on Thursday by Sanusi Dawakin Tofa, spokesperson to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. Each bereaved family received ₦5 million through the First Lady’s intervention, which was described as a significant effort to alleviate their burden and aid their recovery.
“This gesture by Her Excellency reflects compassion and leadership at a time of deep national mourning,” Tofa stated.
In a complementary move, Governor Yusuf also announced an additional ₦130 million in support. According to the statement, each of the ten injured athletes received ₦2 million and a plot of land, while the families of the deceased were granted an extra ₦5 million each.
The Kano State government had earlier disbursed ₦22 million shortly after the incident, offering ₦1 million to each affected family and ₦500,000 to the injured.
“The First Lady’s contribution has further strengthened the state’s commitment to standing with the victims and their families,” the governor said, expressing gratitude for the federal support.
Cumulative donations from other quarters brought total relief support to ₦321.2 million. These included ₦32 million from the Ogun State Government, ₦20 million from the Jigawa State Government, and ₦2.2 million from philanthropist Engr. Sagir Koki. Additional relief materials such as 30 bags of rice and land allocations were also distributed.
A special ceremony was held in Kano for the official disbursement, supervised by the State Accountant General. Governor Yusuf also announced that the Kano Sports Institute in Karfi would be renamed the Kano 22 Athletes Institute in honour of the deceased.
To ensure equitable distribution of funds in line with Islamic principles, Sharia courts were directed to oversee the disbursement of ₦6,709,375 to each of the 22 families in the first tranche.
Speaking on behalf of the bereaved, Alhaji Baffa Indabawa, chairman of the victims’ families, described the support as “a deeply consoling and dignified response” to their shared tragedy.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, May 31, 2025, along the Kaduna-Kano Expressway as the athletes were returning from the 2024 National Sports Festival held in Ogun State.
By Adeola Olaniya | August 7, 2025
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