Monday’s Easter celebration turned into a deadly incident when a truck collided with a crowd of people in Nigeria. Five people were killed and thirteen individuals were rushed to the hospital with injuries after the speeding truck lost control and ploughed into a Christian procession. The alarming tragedy, which occurred in Billiri town, Gombe State, was caught on camera, and the footage has been circulating on the internet.
According to local news reports, the incident occurred in the morning, around 7 a.m., along the Gombe-Yola Road. Video of the incident shows worshippers enjoying a peaceful march in celebration of Easter. According to authorities, the truck had departed Adamawa with grains at the time of the incident. However, the journey to Gombe, where the grains were scheduled for delivery, became chaotic when the driver experienced brake failure, and the driver lost control of the truck.
The footage captured the moments leading up to the crash, showing the crowd walking along the road and the truck suddenly crashing into the crowd of Christians and Muslims who were watching the march. The crash caused panic, and many people could be seen running away from the scene and wailing, while some rushed to aid those who were hit by the truck.
Police spokesperson DSP Buhari Abdullahi confirmed that the crash resulted in the deaths of two men and three women. He also said that eight of the injured victims, who sustained fractures and other wounds, were hospitalised at multiple healthcare facilities, including the Specialist Hospital in Gombe and Billiri General Hospital.
The crash ignited outrage, causing the locals to violently retaliate. The report said that officers had to rescue the driver, whose name has not been officially released, from a lynch mob. However, angry residents set the truck ablaze in the aftermath, and tensions quickly escalated. During the chaos, some locals looted stores and also stormed the Billiri Divisional Police Headquarters. The angry residents hurled stones, injuring some officers.
Shortly after the chaos broke out, police regained control of the situation and are now probing the incident. While the cause of the accident is not yet disclosed, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) highlighted speeding as a major factor. Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling it a “dark and painful moment” for the state and extended condolences to the families of the deceased.
