Gombe Easter Tragedy: Killing of 9 Boys Brigade Members by NSCDC Official was Deliberate – Witnesses

Malik Yahya/

The killing of nine members of the Boys Brigade in the early hours of yesterday at the Sabonline area of Gombe, by an official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Adamu Abdullahi, and a yet-to-be-identified man has been described as a deliberate act.

No fewer than 30 others were injured in the incident.

The Boys’ Brigade members, drawn from the St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Madaki, and two parishes of the Evangelical Church Winning All in Bamusa and Barunde, Gombe State, were said to be having an Easter procession when the incident happened shortly after midnight.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the NSCDC official had insisted on driving through the lane occupied by the procession, but was prevented by the brigade, who forced him to pass through the other lane.

The official, who was apparently unhappy with the action of the group, reportedly drove to his house to drop off some occupants in his car and returned to the procession.

Abdullahi was alleged to have subsequently switched off the headlamps of the vehicle and rammed into the group, killing nine people on the spot.

A member of the ECWA Boys’ Brigade, Michael Adeniran, who witnessed the incident, recalled: “The incident happened around 1am. A salon car with the logo of civil defence was prevented from passing the road because of our procession.

“However, when our pastor prevailed on us, we allowed him to pass. After dropping off his girlfriends in his house, he drove back with his car and cleared our members. There was one other person with him in the car.”

NewsmakersNG learnt that a mob had immediately pounced on the two men and beat them to stupor.

The Gombe State Commissioner for Health, Dr Kennedy Ishaya, described the incident as unfortunate.

“The survivors have different degrees of injury; some have head injuries, and others lacerations,” he added.

The ECWA Secretary, Elias Tstakis, said the church was mourning the loss of its members.

“We discovered that the two men were deployed in the government house, but they chose to kill innocent teenagers,” he said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Mary Malum, confirmed the death of 10 people in the incident.

She said 30 injured victims are receiving treatment at the state specialist hospital and other private health institutions.”

The Force spokesperson, Frank Mba, who confirmed 11 deaths in a statement on yesterday, however, said the accident was caused by brake failure.

He said that the driver was on Gadan Malale Road and heading for the Central Roundabout in the area when tragedy struck.

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