A commercial bus lost control and crashed into a Christmas procession in Gombe on Christmas Day, leaving 22 people injured. The police have confirmed no fatalities from the incident.
The accident occurred in the Tumfure community as celebrants were on their way to pay homage at the Government House and the Gombe Emir’s Palace.
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Gombe State Police spokesperson, Buhari Abdullahi, stated, “The injured victims were immediately taken to the Federal Teaching Hospital and Specialist Hospital for treatment.”
Following the accident, the Commissioner of Police directed the Motor Traffic Department to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash. Security forces quickly cordoned off the area to ensure safety and order, while authorities urged residents to remain calm.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya expressed his sympathy to the victims and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). He also pledged to cover the medical expenses of those injured.
In a separate incident, an early morning fire on Christmas Day destroyed several shops near the General Post Office on Ibokwu Street, Onitsha, Anambra State. Goods worth millions of naira were lost in the inferno.
Eyewitness Chidimma Ike recounted, “The fire started in one shop and quickly spread to others. Residents and passersby worked tirelessly to extinguish the flames, but many shop owners were away celebrating Christmas.”
One of the affected shop owners, Chinedu Nnamdi, said he initially dismissed the smoke as waste burning. “By the time I realized it was a fire, my shop and many others had already been consumed,” he lamented.
