The late Channels Television cameraman, Kani Ben, has been laid to rest in his hometown of Kangling, Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State, following his death from injuries sustained in a road accident in Bauchi State.
Ben died after a fatal crash along Duguri Road while returning from an assignment covering the inauguration of projects by the North East Development Commission (NEDC). The accident involved 14 occupants, many of them journalists from different media organisations. Several others survived with varying degrees of injuries.
Born on May 28, 1982, Ben succumbed to his injuries on February 15, 2026, after days of medical treatment.
At the funeral, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family and the wider media community. Represented by the Commissioner for Information, Usman Shehu, the governor described the incident as tragic and acknowledged the risks journalists face in the course of duty.
As part of measures to support the family, the governor approved automatic employment for Ben’s wife, Sarah, into the Bauchi State Civil Service.
Shehu also recalled that the governor personally visited injured journalists at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital shortly after the crash and instructed his personal physician to monitor their treatment.
In his tribute, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, portrayed Ben as a committed professional who carried out his responsibilities with humility and dedication.
“He was not just documenting events; he was preserving moments of history with discipline and passion,” Gidado said.
Religious leaders also paid tribute to the deceased. The Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria, Abuja Diocese, Reverend Cletus Dading, thanked the Bauchi State Government for standing by the family and offered prayers for comfort and strength.
Meanwhile, the NEDC expressed sorrow over the loss. Speaking on behalf of the Commission’s Managing Director, Mohammed Alkali, a representative described Ben’s death as a painful reminder of the sacrifices media professionals make in service to society.
The commission extended condolences to Ben’s family, his colleagues at Channels Television, the Bauchi State Government, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, and the broader media fraternity.
