12 school children killed in Nigeria

A van which lost control ran into an assembly of school children in Nigeria’s northeastern state of Gombe, killing 12 children and injuring 19 others, police said on Wednesday.

Gombe State police spokesman Ahmed Usman told Xinhua the incident occurred on Tuesday during an annual religious procession by school children in Malam Sidi Town, located 20 kms away from Gombe, the state capital.

Hundreds of Islamic school children usually gather to hold the annual Maulud procession in the Nigerian state.

The driver of the van, travelling alone, was apparently driving at high speed when he ran into the procession, Usman said.

According to him, an angry mob set the driver and his van ablaze before the arrival of the police at the accident site.