Barely weeks after returning from Hajj in Makkah, the Adamawa political mobiliser was rushed for treatment after his Jeep was wrecked. Hours of anxious silence ended with word that he has regained consciousness.
GANYE – Relief is spreading among family, associates and supporters of Alhaji Zakiru Abubakar Barade, State Coordinator of the Haske Mobilisation Forum, who has reportedly survived a serious road accident along the Mayo-Belwa–Ganye road.
Barade was said to be travelling from Jimeta towards Ganye in a Jeep when the vehicle crashed. He had only recently returned to Nigeria from the Hajj pilgrimage in the Holy Land of Makkah.
Photographs obtained by Pioneer Newspaper show the vehicle badly mangled. In one image, Barade sits with a white bandage wrapped around his head. In another, a medical team attends to a patient on a stretcher. Together, the pictures underline the severity of the crash and what may well have been a narrow escape from tragedy.
Efforts by a Pioneer Newspaper correspondent to reach Barade directly were initially unsuccessful, as he was reported to be unconscious after the accident. Later information, however, indicated that he had regained consciousness, bringing welcome relief to those who had anxiously awaited news of his condition.
Pioneer Newspaper could not immediately confirm the exact location of the crash, its cause, or whether anyone else was injured.
The incident has cast a sombre mood over associates of the Haske Mobilisation Forum and others familiar with Barade, coming so soon after his return from the pilgrimage. A well-known figure in Adamawa political circles, he has become the subject of widespread concern among well-wishers.
As Pioneer Newspaper seeks an official update from his family or medical team, prayers are being offered for his full and speedy recovery. For now, the dominant sentiment among those close to him is gratitude that, despite the severity of the crash, he is alive and conscious.
Pioneer Newspaper will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as credible information becomes available.
