KEY POINTS

• A speeding truck killed multiple Easter celebrants in Gombe State, with eyewitnesses reporting children among the victims, while the driver fled to a nearby police station.

• Outraged youths set the truck ablaze amid growing frustration over delayed official statements and perceived negligence in road safety enforcement.

• The incident highlights Nigeria’s recurring road safety crisis, prompting calls for stricter regulations and infrastructure improvements to prevent future tragedies.

What began as a day of spiritual reflection ended in horror on Monday, April 21, when an articulated truck rammed into a group of Easter celebrants in Billiri, Gombe State.

The victims, mostly youths and children, were returning from a mountaintop prayer session when the truck ploughed into the crowd along the Tashan Gona area.

Eyewitnesses described a devastating scene with multiple fatalities and severe injuries. Though the exact death toll remains unconfirmed, several people were reportedly crushed beyond recognition, while others were rushed to nearby hospitals.

“Many of those affected are youths and children. The scene is an eyesore. Some of the victims died on the spot, and others were rushed to the hospital,” one witness recounted. “The driver managed to escape and took refuge at the Billiri police station.”

According to SaharaReporters, the tragic event triggered immediate outrage from local residents. Enraged by the scale of the carnage and the driver’s flight from the scene, irate youths set the truck ablaze in protest.

The Gombe State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement, and efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Buhari, were unsuccessful as of the time of this report.

According to local accounts, the prayer gathering had drawn large numbers of worshippers from surrounding areas in celebration of the Easter weekend. Many participants were still in festive attire when the speeding truck crashed into their ranks, turning the spiritual observance into a scene of mourning.

Billiri General Hospital, where several victims were transported, is currently overwhelmed, with staff battling to treat the wounded under emergency conditions. Community leaders and religious figures have called for calm while urging authorities to swiftly investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice.

“This tragedy should not have happened,” said a local cleric who helped organize the prayer event. “Our people gathered to pray for peace and blessings, and now we are left with heartbreak. We call on the government to ensure proper traffic management and justice for the victims.”

Outcry over road safety and truck driver conduct

The incident has reignited debate around road safety enforcement in Nigeria, particularly the regulation of heavy-duty vehicles in densely populated areas. Gombe residents have complained of recurring problems with reckless driving, poor road conditions, and weak enforcement of transport laws.

Analysts say the tragedy highlights a larger problem in Nigeria’s road safety framework, especially in rural and peri-urban communities where oversight is limited. Calls have intensified for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to conduct routine checks on heavy vehicles and for stricter licensing policies for commercial drivers.

Human rights and civil society organizations are also urging the Gombe State Government to set up an independent panel to investigate the accident, compensate families of the deceased, and provide long-term support to those injured.

As of now, families continue to search hospitals and temporary morgues in hopes of finding their loved ones. The scale of grief and anger is palpable, with calls for memorial services and collective mourning across the Christian community in the state.