22 Injured as vehicle crashes into Christmas procession in Gombe

The police command in Gombe says 22 persons were injured when a vehicle rammed into a Christmas procession.

In a statement on Wednesday, Buhari Abdullahi, police spokesperson in Gombe, said the accident occurred around 2 pm along Bauchi road.

He said a Volkswagen Sharon vehicle loaded with bags of rice veered off the road and rammed into some Christian faithful in the Tumfure area of Gombe.

Abdullahi said the procession, escorted by some policemen, was heading to the Emir of Gombe’s palace and the government house for Christmas homage.

The police spokesperson said the driver of the vehicle, whose identity is yet unknown, lost control and hit the crowd.

Abdullahi said the driver fled the scene while a mob set the vehicle ablaze.

He added that efforts are ongoing to locate and arrest the driver.

“There was no loss of life, but about 22 people sustained varying degrees of injuries,” Abdullah said.

He said the victims were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Gombe, and the specialist hospital for treatment.

He noted that a combined team of security operatives and leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) were on the ground to ensure peace and order.

“The command urges the good people of Gombe state to remain calm as the commissioner of police has directed the motor traffic department to carry out a discreet investigation into the unfortunate incident,” he added.

This is the second time in five years that vehicle would crash into a procession in Gombe.

In April 2019, eight Christian youths were killed and 30 injured when an operative of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) rammed his car into their procession.

The incident was said to have happened in Alheri junction, Biu road, when the youths were on their way to “Galilee”.

Also in Adamawa, a commercial bus ran into worshippers while celebrating the Easter Monday. Seventeen people were injured.