Gombe residents witnessed a Christmas Day tragedy as a Sharon bus drove through a procession of Christians, mauling at least 40 people. The incident happened on Wednesday in Tumfure, near Gombe.

The police claimed only 22 people were injured. The command’s spokesperson, Buhari Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

Mr Abdullahi stated that no death was recorded in the incident, adding that those injured were receiving treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital and Specialist Hospital, Gombe.

He added that the incident happened at about 2:00 p.m., when Christians from Tumfure, while on a procession escorted by a team of policemen, were on their way to the Emir’s Palace and Government House.

“Suddenly, a Sharon bus loaded with bags of rice and driven by a yet-to-be-identified person lost control and rammed into the procession. The incident led to 22 persons being injured but no loss of life,” he stated.

Mr Abdullahi further stated that an angry mob burned the vehicle.

He noted that efforts were being made by the command to arrest the driver who fled the scene.

However, the leader of the procession, Shamsuddeen Kachalla, told journalists at the specialist hospital, where some injured persons were being treated, that efforts were made to flag down the vehicle to no avail.

However, Mr Kachalla, a member of the Boys’ Brigade in Gombe, said the number of injured persons was more than 22.

He said, “I have confirmed that 40 persons were injured and receiving treatment – 12 in FTH and 28 here at the Specialist Hospital. This procession has been going on for years and for the first time, we are encountering such an incident.

“I don’t know what happened, whether the driver lost control, but he chose to hit the people on procession instead of the vehicles before him.”

Checks at the two hospitals showed that there were 40 casualties.

Meanwhile, Governor Inuwa Yahaya has commiserated with the victims of the accident, urging the youths to remain calm.

Mr Yahaya commiserated with the victims.

(NAN)