Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The Catholic Arch Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah at the weekend said he was saddened by the death of three National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who died in a road accident along Kankara-Funtua expressway in Katsina State.
The victims were among the 14 corps members who were on their way from Katsina to attend a wedding mass in a Catholic Church in Funtua Local Government Area of the state on August 18 when the incident happened.
Kuka, who was in Katsina for a sympathy visit to the State Coordinator of the scheme, Mr. Ahidjo Yahaya, said with the tragic incident, the nation had lost some of its talented and productive young people in their prime.
He said: “We express our condolences to the families of the late youth corps members, the NYSC management and the people of Katsina State, where the sorrowful incident occurred and Delta, Imo and Ebonyi States where the victims hailed.”
In response, Yahaya told the cleric that arrangements had been concluded by the scheme in the state to ferry the bodies of the deceased corps members to their ancestral homes for burial.
He added that each of the vehicles conveying the corpses would be accompanied by a deputy director and a senior member of the Catholic Church in Katsina State to the mortuary in their states for proximity until the parents of the deceased are ready for the final burial.
He said: ‘’We thank the Katsina Catholic Church and its members, because of their timely response to the news about their deaths, by hosting and ensuring that they get the needed medical and humanitarian attention.
‘’Three hospitals were involved in giving medical attention to the injured. We shall convey the bodies of the dead on Saturday. Each of the vehicles will be accompanied by a Deputy or Assistant Director and a Senior Church member. We have already communicated with their next of kin and parents.”
