In a heartbreaking twist of fate, the Divisional Police Officer DPO of Toro in Bauchi State, Superintendent Mustapha Garba, has died in a fatal motor accident on the very day he was to wed. The tragic incident, which occurred on Saturday, June 14, 2025, has plunged the community into mourning.
According to police sources, the accident took place around 11:30 a.m. along the Bargar Tsamiya area in Toro Local Government. SP Garba was driving a Mercedes vehicle with two passengers en route from Gumau to Magama Gumau to attend his own wedding Fatiha when tragedy struck.
Eyewitnesses told Zagazola Makama that the vehicle hit a pothole at high speed, causing the DPO to lose control. The car veered into the opposite lane and collided with a stationary Opel Astra, whose driver had parked the vehicle by the roadside to attend to his farm. The Mercedes somersaulted multiple times before landing in the bush.
Both SP Mustapha Garba and 45-year-old Mr. Shaaibu Cheski of Gumau Town succumbed to their injuries while receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Toro. Two other passengers are said to be receiving care and are in stable condition, police confirmed.
The mood across Toro and Gumau is one of collective grief. What was meant to be a day of celebration has instead become one of sorrow and shock. Residents have described the late DPO as a dedicated officer who served his community with humility and distinction.
“He was full of life and preparing to start a new chapter. This is a painful loss, not just for the police but for the entire community,” said a grieving relative.
Bauchi State Police Command is yet to issue an official statement but sources say funeral arrangements are underway.
The tragic death of SP Garba serves as a grim reminder of Nigeria’s poor road infrastructure and the ever-present dangers on highways, particularly those riddled with potholes and lacking proper safety signage.
As condolence messages pour in from across the state, the people of Bauchi mourn not just a police officer, but a brother, a friend, and a groom who never made it to his wedding.
May their souls rest in peace.
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