Sad Fate: Police DPO Dies In Crash One Hour To His Wedding

By Adesina Soyooye

For  Mustapha Garba, a Superintendent of Police, it was a sad end to the day meant to be one of his happiest on earth.

At 42, Garba, a Divisional Police Officer in Bauchi was getting married on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Everything was set. His beautiful bride was waiting. Both were looking forward to  life forever, finally.

So, as his bride waited at the venue in her village, SP Garba set out on the journey to wed her, traditionally, and take her home. It was their wedding Fathia. So Garba picked his car, a Mercedes Benz. He was on the steering wheel, on the driving seat. With him were three of his friends. He on his way from Gumau to Magama to, legally, claim his bride. The ceremony was billed to take place in an hour”s time.

But it was at that time that all plans changed. Tragedy struck around Barga Tsamiya, Toro Council Area of Bauchi State. And the day of joy turned to the day of sorrow. It struck at 11.30am. Garba drove into a deep pothole and rammed  forcefully into an oncoming stationary Opel Vectra. Sarkness took over. He lost his life,l along with two of his friends.

One survived, is stable, but in critical condition.

The Bauchi State Police Command was thrown into mourning on hearing the news that dark Saturday. It is still in deep morning.

In a statement confirming the tragedy, Spokesperson for the Command,  Mohammed Wakil said: “The Command is in mourning. SP Mustapha Garba was on his way to his wedding when the unfortunate incident occurred.

“He was in company of three friends in a Mercedes Benz.

“At Bagan Tsamiya, the vehicle lost control and veered off its lane, and had a head-on collusion with an Opel Vectra coming from the opposite direction.

“Upon receiving the news, the Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Sani-Omolori, immediately directed the DPO of Toro Division to mobilise personnel and evacuate the victims to the Toro General Hospital.

“Sadly, a Medical Doctor confirmed the groom and two others dead. Their bodies have since been released to their families for burial.”

While some people blame the tragedy on over-speeding, perhaps out of excitement to take his bride home, others blame it on Government. “If there was no deep pothole on the road, he would still be with us now”, a mourning bride’s relation lamented.