“This Wasn’t a Brake Failure – It Was a Calculated Act” – Gombe Residents Reject Police Report, Call Easter Procession Tragedy a Terror Attack

Residents of Gombe State have strongly rejected the police account of the tragic incident that occurred during an Easter Monday procession, where a truck rammed into a crowd of worshippers, killing five and injuring many others. While the authorities described it as an unfortunate accident caused by brake failure, eyewitnesses and community members insist it was a deliberate act meant to terrorize the Christian population and disrupt future Easter celebrations.

Eyewitness accounts challenge the official explanation, suggesting the incident was premeditated. Yusuff Haskee, former Chairman of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Gombe, dismissed the idea of a brake failure. He said the annual Easter procession is a well-known tradition and that security agencies were informed in advance. “This wasn’t a brake failure — it was a calculated act of intimidation against Christians,” he said, revealing that he confronted the police about the incident during a live radio broadcast.

Another witness, identified as Usman, questioned the driver’s actions. “If the truck lost control, why didn’t the driver honk or signal? It came silently from behind, hit the crowd, and stopped just ten meters ahead. That’s not an accident — that’s evil,” he said.

Madeline, a young woman who narrowly escaped the tragedy, described the chaos she witnessed after stepping away to answer a phone call. “When I turned back, it looked like a horror movie. People were screaming, crushed bodies everywhere. That truck rolled over my fellow worshippers like they were nothing,” she said in tears.

Reports confirmed five fatalities, including four women. Twenty others sustained injuries, and the state government has pledged to cover all medical expenses, according to Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s spokesperson, Samaila Uba Misili. However, journalists who visited the Gombe State Specialist Hospital were denied access to the victims for what staff described as security reasons.

The grief and outrage in the community were palpable. A mother, known locally as Mama Billiri, recounted her daughter’s suffering. “My daughter didn’t deserve this. This is wickedness of the highest order,” she said.

In a swift response to the tragedy, angry youths set the truck ablaze shortly after the victims were evacuated. The incident has heightened tensions in the area, with many Christians now calling for an independent investigation. They accuse the authorities of downplaying what they firmly believe was a targeted terrorist attack.