By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
No fewer than twenty-two persons sustained various degrees of injuries after a vehicle loaded with assorted grains, rammed into a Christmas procession in Gombe wednesday afternoon.
The procession was said to be going into Gombe town where a planned Christmas homage was expected to be paid to the Emir of Gombe in his Palace and the State Governor, at the Government House.
According to an eye witness who spoke to our Correspondent, the incident occurred along Bauchi road when the driver of the vehicle defied all enteritis to divert and give way for the procession, thus resulting in the fatal accident.
However, according to the Gombe State Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Buhari Abdullahi, the yet to be identified driver, lost control of the vehicle and ran into the procession injuring 22 persons with no loss of life.
He said the victims were evacuated to the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe and the State Specialist Hospital for medical attention while the vehicle was burnt down by angry mob.
He explained further that the driver escaped to an unknown destination while efforts were on to locate and get him arrested.
According to ASP Buhari, a combined team of Police officers led by the State Command’s DC Operations, leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), calmed the situation while a Police patrol team gave cover to the remaining procession.
The Command urged the people of the State to remain calm as the Commissioner of Police directed the Command’s Motor Traffic Department to carry outa discreet investigation into the unfortunate incident.
In the meantime, the State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya had directed that all the victims of the incident be treated free.
