The Nigerian media community is in mourning following the death of Kani Ben, a veteran cameraman with Channels Television, who passed away early Sunday morning.
Ben died at approximately 4:00 a.m. at the Modular Theatre Complex of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBU-TH), Bauchi, after a week-long battle with severe spinal cord injuries.
The fatality is the grim climax to a horrific road accident that occurred on Friday, February 6, 2026. Ben was part of a 13-member press crew covering an official assignment led by the Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari Ahmadu.
The team was returning from the Yelwan Duguri community after commissioning a school project for the North East Development Commission (NEDC) when their vehicle veered off the Yashi–Yelwan Duguri Road.
Eyewitness accounts suggest the journalists’ vehicle somersaulted multiple times after a failed attempt to overtake a section of the convoy, Ejecting several occupants.
While other journalists sustained various injuries ranging from compound fractures to head trauma, Ben, who was seated in the front, bore the brunt of the impact.
Despite undergoing emergency surgery 24 hours after the crash, his condition remained critical until his passing.
The incident has reignited urgent conversations regarding the safety of journalists embedded in high-speed official convoys.
Ben, remembered by colleagues as a dedicated professional, is survived by his wife and two children. His death leaves a significant void in the Channels TV newsroom and the broader Bauchi State press corps, where he was a well-known figure.