A government panel in Gombe State has called for the immediate prosecution of the truck driver who plowed into Easter celebrants in Billiri, leading to a horrifying tragedy that claimed six lives and injured dozens more. The panel’s findings, released amidst growing outrage, revealed that 36 people were directly affected, with 18 still battling for survival in hospitals across the state.
The committee, led by Hon. Rambi Ayala, disclosed that the incident, which occurred on Easter Monday, involved a trailer truck that “recklessly rammed into the final batch of Christian faithful participating in a peaceful procession.” Ayala, while addressing journalists, called the event a “needless and deeply painful loss,” stressing that the driver must face the full weight of the law.
“Six precious souls were lost—Grace David, Clement Lakason, Ephraim Ibrahim, Faida P. Uslas, Rejoice Mela, and Praise Ayuba,” he said solemnly. “The trauma inflicted on the Billiri community is immense and unforgivable.”
Ayala also used the occasion to recommend urgent improvements in the state’s healthcare infrastructure. “The deplorable state of the general hospitals is alarming. There’s a dire need to either reconstruct or renovate these facilities to adequately handle emergencies like this.”
Governor Inuwa Yahaya, reacting to the tragedy in an earlier statement, extended condolences to the grieving families and pledged that the government would cover both medical and burial expenses. “This is a dark and painful moment for all of us,” Yahaya said. “We are committed to ensuring the best medical care for the injured and standing with the families of the bereaved.”
However, the governor’s assurances have done little to calm the storm brewing in Billiri. In a fiery joint statement, three Tangale socio-cultural organisations — the Tangale Community Development Association (TCDA), Kwagam Tangale Socio-Cultural Association (KTSCA), and Tangale Community Overseas (TCO) — accused both the state government and the Nigeria Police of gross negligence, misinformation, and a deliberate cover-up.
“This was not an accident—it was a massacre,” declared TCDA National President, Danladi Bako. “We have photos, videos, eyewitnesses. The police claim of brake failure is a laughable excuse meant to shield the guilty.”
The groups rejected the official narrative that some Muslim bystanders were also victims of the crash. “That claim is false and dangerously divisive,” the statement said. “The truck drove straight into a Christian procession—it did not veer off, it did not honk, and it did not stop until lives were crushed under its wheels.”
Perhaps most damning were revelations about the poor emergency response in the immediate aftermath. “The 21 patients currently in Federal Teaching Hospital were first taken to Billiri General Hospital,” the statement noted. “There, they found no medical personnel on duty. No syringes, no drips—absolutely nothing. A shameful reflection of the government’s neglect.”
The groups also criticized Governor Yahaya’s alleged hypocrisy. “This same governor who now shows compassion rejected medical supplies donated by Tangale indigenes just 16 months ago. We have the documents.”
Accusing the police of complicity, the associations demanded an independent investigation and accountability for what they described as a “state-enabled tragedy.”
“The Billiri police were duly informed about the procession—it happens every year. So why was there no traffic control? Why were statements issued about brake failure before any real investigation? We’re not fools. We’ll release every piece of evidence to expose this injustice.”
As grief turns to fury, Gombe State is now grappling not just with the aftermath of a deadly crash, but with a crisis of trust in its institutions. The demand for justice grows louder by the day.
PIONEER NEWS 