In Gombe state, there is a disturbing trend: vehicles crashing into processions of Christians during major religious celebrations. The first happened, and it seemed as though it was just an accident, possibly from a brake failure. Then it happened again and again. 

Over the past six years, three incidents — April 2019, December 2024, and April 2025 — have left communities in the state reeling, with dozens dead and others injured.

Official reports from security agencies often cite accidents, but eyewitnesses and local leaders cry foul, alleging deliberate attacks.

Is this mere coincidence or something more unfathomably sinister? Let’s dig into the tragedy, exploring the human toll, conflicting narratives, and unanswered questions fueling distrust.

EASTER 2019: A NIGHT OF CARNAGE 

On April 21, 2019, at 11:30 pm, a vehicle driven by an off-duty Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer ploughed into an Easter procession of Boys’ Brigade members along Gombe-Biu Road.

The crash killed 8 to 11 people, mostly children under 15, and injured 31 others.

Witnesses, including Adams Borkono, state chairman of the Boys Brigade, said that after arguing with the procession of youth, the driver made a U-turn, switched off his headlights, and rammed into the crowd deliberately.

No mechanical failure was reported, and the act was widely accepted as intentional.

The aftermath was chaotic. An enraged mob killed the driver and a policeman, burning the vehicle.

The tragedy sparked unrest, prompting a curfew in Gombe. Despite police promises of justice, public updates on the investigation were scarce, leaving families without closure. This incident set a grim precedent, planting seeds of suspicion that linger today.

CHRISTMAS 2024: A PROCESSION MARRED BY CHAOS 

On December 25, 2024, at 2:00 pm, a Volkswagen Sharon mini-bus loaded with rice bags crashed into a Christmas procession in Tumfure, near Gombe, en route to the emir’s palace and government house.

The collision injured 22 to 65 people, but no fatalities were reported, though the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) claimed higher injury counts than police estimates.

Buhari Abdullahi, police spokesperson, attributed the crash to the driver losing control. The driver fled and the vehicle was torched by an angry mob.

Shamsuddeen Kachalla, procession leader, and eyewitnesses disputed the official account, alleging the driver deliberately ignored attempts to stop the vehicle.

The higher injury estimates from CAN (65 vs. police’s 22) fueled perceptions of underreporting.

Inuwa Yahaya, governor of the state, covered medical costs and urged calm, but the incident deepened community tensions.

EASTER 2025: BRAKE FAILURE OR TARGETED ATTACK?

On April 21, at about 7am, a grain-laden truck rammed into an Easter procession in Billiri, along Gombe-Yola Road, killing five (two men, three women) and injuring 8 to 13 people.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) blamed excessive speeding, while police cited brake failure, and the driver was apprehended for prosecution.

However, eyewitnesses, including Yusuff Haskee, former CAN youth wing chairman, rejected claims of brake failure or excessive speeding; he alleged a terror attack.

They noted the truck’s silent approach and abrupt stop post-crash, with a viral video intensifying suspicions.

The community’s response was visceral; youths burned the truck, looted shops, and attacked the Billiri police headquarters, injuring officers.

The governor ordered a probe, vowing accountability — but distrust persists.

Three crashes in six years, all during Christian processions, have left Gombe’s faithful shaken. The 2019 incident appeared overtly intentional, but 2024 and 2025 remain contested, with official “accident” claims clashing against eyewitness accounts of deliberate acts.

In a broad context, 62,000 Christians have reportedly been killed in Nigeria since the year 2000. Each incident follows a grim cycle: a vehicle strikes, mobs retaliate, and investigations are stalled.

The Cable