The death of Kani Ben highlights the perilous journeys African journalists undertake to tell the story, sparking calls for better protection.

He spent his career behind the camera, framing the world for millions of viewers. Today, the lens is turned on him, and the picture is one of tragedy. Kani Ben, a dedicated cameraman for Nigeria's Channels Television, has died, nine days after sustaining critical spinal injuries in a horrific road crash in Bauchi State.

Ben passed away in the Intensive Care Unit of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital on Sunday morning. His death raises the toll of a crash that has already left the Nigerian media fraternity reeling.

The Assignment That Turned Fatal

On February 6, Ben was part of a press convoy covering the commissioning of projects by the North East Development Commission (NEDC). It was a routine assignment—documenting development in a region recovering from conflict. But the journey itself proved deadlier than the assignment. The vehicle, carrying 13 journalists, lost control and somersaulted multiple times on the Yashi-Yelwan Duguri Road.

A Continental Hazard

While the context is Nigerian, the story resonates deeply in Kenya and across Africa. Just like the police officers in Machakos, Kani Ben fell victim to the "Silent Epidemic" of African road safety. Journalists are frontline workers, often traveling at high speeds in convoys to keep up with VIPs, frequently in vehicles that are overworked and on roads that are unforgiving.

• The Human Cost: Ben leaves behind a wife and two young children.
• The Industry Reaction: The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has suspended activities to mourn, but anger is mounting. Questions are being raised about the insurance cover and safety protocols for media crews embedded with government delegations.

Kani Ben's final shot has been cut, but his death must serve as a sombre roll of film for media houses across the continent: No story is worth a life.