No fewer than 25 persons, who attended the weekly crusade at the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, in Idemili North local government area of Anambra State, lost their lives during a stampede at the end of the ceremony in the early hours of Saturday.
The crusade, organized by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obinma for prayers, healing and spiritual retreat, attracts thousands of people, but the one that was held Saturday, on the Feast of All Saints turned tragic.
As estimated 100,000 worshippers attended the crusade because, apart from coinciding with the Feast of All Saints, it was also the first Saturday of the month.
Apart from the dead 25, whose bodies were said to have been deposited at Immaculate Heart Hospital and Maternity, Nkpor and Charles Borromew Hospital, Onitsha, several others, who sustained various degrees of injuries, are receiving treatment in various hospitals in Onitsha.
The candidate of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, for the November 16 governorship election, Chris Ngige, has, on his facebook account, accused the present governor, Peter Obi, and his All Progressive Grand Alliance candidate, Willie Obiano, of causing the stampede.
”Reports reaching me have it that the APGA campaign train, last night went to the Adoration Ground at Ukeh and induced stampede as Obi’s goons charged at worshipers who booed at them for campaigning at the Holy ground,” Mr. Ngige said.
The post also stated that the priest in charge had earlier told Mr. Obi that the people already knew who to vote for and that he need not worry over that.
”The priest in charge, Ebube Mmuo Nso had told Obi that the people already knew whom to vote for so should be left alone. Unfortunately, in sheer act of wickedness, Obi’s goons charged at the crowd who booed at them and induced stampede which led to the untimely death of 15 persons including women and children while wounding many more,” he said.
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