What would have been a tragedy was on Monday averted in Bauchi as the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Maryam Yalwaji Katagum, slumped at an empowerment programme in Bauchi.

Katagum who was in the Bauchi State capital to launch the empowerment programme, suddenly slumped when she was about to deliver her speech at the event held at Sanin Malam Shopping Plaza, Bauchi, which had the Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Bala Tela in attendance.

She was subsequently rushed to the Trauma Centre of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, for immediate treatment.

An eyewitness said the minister was noticed to be withdrawn when she arrived at the venue of the empowerment programme, adding that she was intermittently touching her head while the programme was going on.

It was further gathered that while Ambassador Katagum stood up upon being invited to deliver her speech, she held her head and slumped, forcing her aides and top officials at the event to quickly rush her to the hospital for treatment.

As of this evening, the minister was still at the hospital where she was said to be responding to treatment, though there is no official statement on the incident, Dailypost reports.