At least 20 residents of Okija, a community in Anambra State, have tragically lost their lives in a deadly stampede that occurred during a rice distribution event on Saturday.
The incident, which took place in the early hours of the day, has sent shockwaves through the local community and beyond. Disturbing footage from the scene, shared widely across social media platforms, shows several motionless bodies strewn across the ground, highlighting the scale of the tragedy.
According to reports, the stampede occurred as large crowds gathered to receive rice, which had been made available for distribution to residents. It appears that the sheer volume of people in attendance, coupled with a lack of adequate crowd control measures, led to the tragic loss of life. The panic and chaos escalated quickly, as many tried to push their way to the front, causing a deadly crush.
Charles Aburime, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Anambra State, confirmed the incident, acknowledging the loss of lives and expressing the state’s deep sorrow over the tragedy. He assured the public that the state government is actively monitoring the situation, and he indicated that an official statement with further details would be released soon.
This devastating event in Okija comes on the heels of another tragic stampede that occurred just a few days prior in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State. In that incident, more than 35 people, including a significant number of children, lost their lives during a stampede at a carnival. The similarities between these two incidents have raised serious concerns about crowd management practices at large public events and the need for stronger safety protocols to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future. Both events have prompted calls for immediate reforms in the organization of public gatherings to ensure the safety of all participants.
