A tragic incident occurred on Saturday in Okija, Ihiala local government area of Anambra State, as a stampede during the distribution of Christmas rice by Obijackson Foundation resulted in the deaths of at least 17 people.
Details of the Incident:
- -The stampede happened at one of Obijackson Foundation’s facilities at Amarata, Ohalegbu village in Okija.
- Thousands of people, mostly women and youths, had gathered at the facility as early as 5:00 AM, waiting for the distribution to begin.
- The crowd became uncontrollable when the distribution started, leading to the stampede.
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Aftermath:
- The dead bodies and those who sustained injuries were rushed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala.
- A viral video showed chaotic scenes of people rushing to escape, with some trying to revive those who fell unconsciously.
- Relatives of the victims were seen sobbing uncontrollably.
Official Response:
- The state police command has not yet confirmed the incident.
This tragic incident highlights the importance of crowd control measures during large gatherings and charity events.