– Tragedy has struck Billiri town, the headquarters of Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State, when a trailer loaded with goods rammed into a procession of Christian youths who were celebrating the Christian Easter festival.
The incident, on Monday morning, had triggered fear and tension, resulting in the blockage of the Gombe-Yola highway in Billiri by angry youths for over one hour, while the trailer was set on fire by the angry mob.
A resident of Billiri town disclosed to our Correspondent that people from surrounding villages trooped into Billiri within a flash, while it took the efforts of the military and Police to disperse the ravaging mob.
Confirming the incident, Gombe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Samson Kaura, said five persons lost their lives and thirteen others sustained various degrees of injuries.
In a phone interview with DAILY INDEPENDENT Correspondent, the Acting Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the LGA, Rev Ezra Idi, the organisers of the procession, he added that the five dead bodies were deposited in the mortuary.
He explained further that there is uncertainty following the arrest of many protesting youths by the Police, adding that the leadership of CAN was about to meet to analyse the incident before making any statement.
However, in its statement sent to newsmen by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gombe State Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, it said, “In the aftermath of the incident, some aggrieved youths in the area set the vehicle ablaze and subsequently marched to the Billiri Divisional Police Headquarters.
“In an attempt to express their anger, the youths began to throw stones and other dangerous objects at the officers on duty. The Divisional Police Officer and several other police personnel sustained varying degrees of injuries during the unrest,” Buhari revealed.
He said, the Command condemns the act of lawlessness and urges residents to remain calm and allow the law to take its course.
According to him, investigations are currently ongoing to ascertain the full circumstances surrounding the incident as well as the number of arrests made.
Part of the Police statement reads: “The Commissioner of Police, Gombe State Command, CP Bello Yahaya psc+, commiserates with the families of the deceased and prays for the quick recovery of the injured.
“He also assures the public that adequate security measures have been put in place in the area to forestall any further breakdown of law and order.
“Members of the public are urged to remain law-abiding, avoid taking the law into their hands, and report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station”.