An unidentified driver reportedly rammed into a Christmas procession on Wednesday, 25th December 2024, near the Women’s Centre, opposite Orji Estate, along the Gombe-Bauchi expressway in Gombe State, leaving several participants injured.
The Gombe State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, confirmed the incident to The PUNCH, describing it as accidental and dismissing claims that it was a deliberate massacre.
“This was an accident. The Sharon vehicle involved was overloaded with bags of grains, including some on the roof. Referring to it as a massacre implies intent, which this wasn’t,” Abdullahi stated.
While declining to provide the number of casualties, he assured the public that the injured had been taken to the State Specialist Hospital and the Federal Teaching Hospital for medical treatment.
“So far, no fatalities have been recorded. Officers are at the scene to maintain peace and prevent looting. Although I cannot confirm the exact number of injured persons, several have been admitted to hospitals in Gombe to receive appropriate care,” he added.
Eyewitness accounts, however, presented a more distressing picture. Grace David, a parishioner, described the scene as harrowing. “As we were walking, we heard that a driver had run into the procession, killing and injuring some people. We also heard that he was stoned to death on the spot, and those injured were taken to the hospital,” she recounted.
Another participant, Danladi Jason, narrated: “We started from Tumfure and were heading to the Gombe Emir’s palace when the driver hit our group, injuring many of us.”
The annual procession, a tradition in which the Christian community pays homage to the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar, and Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, was disrupted by the incident. Participants from Tumfure were en route to the Emir’s ground when the unfortunate event occurred.
