The race for the gubernatorial seat of Anambra State in the November 16 2013 election took a tragic turn on Friday night when a band of youths dressed in APC colours and suspected to be supporters of Senator Chris Ngige of the APC invaded the Adoration Night held to mark the All Saints Day at St Dominic Catholic Church, Ukeh, Anambra State and caused a stampede that led to the trampling of 16 worshippers to death.

An eye witness account explained that the APC youths had stormed the Adoration ground at about 2.30am with the intention of molesting the Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi who was there on the invitation of Rev. Fr. Emma Obinma who superintends over the Ebube Muonso Adoration Ministry in the church and had subsequently waited for the opportune moment to strike.

“They soon found the vulnerable moment when Governor Obi stood up to thank Fr. Obinma for inviting him to the vigil as they sprang up and began to disrupt his speech. They made it utterly difficult for him to speak. The Governor made spirited efforts to explain that he was not at the Adoration Ground for politics but purely for spiritual purposes but the commotion was too loud for anyone to hear him. So, he quickly left the scene when he sensed trouble in the belief that his exit would calm things down but that was not to be,” narrated Chike Obiora, who witnessed the fatal drama.

According to him, no sooner had the governor left the ground than the band had begun to shoot knock-outs or bangers into the air. The crowd mistook the explosions for the sound of real firearms and reacted in panic. In the process, a stampede ensued leading to the trampling of 16 worshippers to death while many other suffered different degrees of exhaustion and were revived moments later.

More accounts of the incident indicate that Senator Ngige’s supporters had erroneously believed that Governor Obi who was accompanied by Chief Willie Obiano, APGA candidate for the coming elections, was at the Adoration Ground to woo the worshippers for votes.

“This was probably why they chanted “Onwa ka anyi ga eso” in praise of Senator Ngige when Governor Obi attempted to speak and subsequently began to fire bangers into the air when the governor left the venue,” explained Mrs. Nkolika Okonkwo, a banker who witnessed the fatal drama.

Mrs. Okonkwo further expressed shock at the extent some political candidates in the state were willing to go to gain undue advantage over their opponents wondering why APC supporters should storm the Adoration Ground on the fateful night when their candidate had worshipped on the same ground the previous day without any incident.

“Someone should please tell them that Anambra State is not for violent politicians. We saw enough violence when Senator Ngige clashed with his former godfather. This state is yet to recover from the destruction and havoc they wrought on the symbols of government. He has not won an election yet and he is already showing his hand. Someobody should please tell Senator Ngige to leave Anambra State alone,” she gushed.

The 16 corpses of the ill-fated worshippers have been deposited in a hospital morgue in Onitsha, Anambra State pending further investigation into the incident.

I said it, this is how the Islamic yorobar party APC used Ngige to kill our people.

Chino72: I said it, this is how the Islamic yorobar party APC used Ngige to kill our people.

I pity the womb that bore you! You and your paymasters will answer to God eventually!

Am still watching!

Too bad these politicians are clueless and heartless.

which one should we believe now ? Ngige or Peter Obi

i thought obi's thugs were the perpetrators?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,why twisting the story

Front page please. The one at the front page.is unbelievable. Obi has never being known to be violent or move with thugs??

Ndi Anambra, bikonu, make a very wise decision in two weeks time before Anambra goes back to square 1.

Obi doesn't campaign in churches, that I can attest to. He gives out money and also is not a saint but let us not spoil his legacy just because of Ngige. After November 16, both him and Ngige should go for confession cos they are at loggerheads since 2003.

Obi and Ngige who do you think go around with thugs? Obi is a gentle man and can't mess his name because of notting

Kingsley1000: i thought obi's thugs were the perpetrators?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,why twisting the story

Have you ever heard obi involving in such all these years? we all know Ngige is hungry for power and can do anything. he has done it before this is not the first time going to shrine and hold a bible in the other hand

nice job at twisting the story.

Dan Ofor: Obi and Ngige who do you think go around with thugs? Obi is a gentle man and can't mess his name because of notting

so that was why you twisted the story to soothe your perception. May God punish you for playing politics with the dead. heartless soul

Dan Ofor:
Have you ever heard obi involving in such all these years? we all know Ngige is hungry for power and can do anything. he has done it before this is not the first time going to shrine and hold a bible in the other hand

You don't know Obi.
What was Obi's business in the 1980s/early1990s?
How did Obi's Father die?
The Taskforce, ndi Mpiawazu, what are they?
The shoot at site at Onitsha, you know the number that died from it?
The Ezzu River incidence, do you know why it was covered up till today?
My friend ask questions, you don't know that man.

No link......

From what I heard it was Peter obi and his clueless stooge, mr Obiano that came to the crusade ground to campaign for votes but when the congregation started chanting Ngige, Ngige, Onwa, Onwa, all hell was let loose as Peter obi's soldiers started firing shots to scare the worshippers and there was a stampede. Some people were thoroughly manhandled and beaten while the dead were trampled upon. That's the true account of what happened.

One needs no dibia to know that Peter Obi has been jittery lately owing to the fact that Obiano has been unmasked as a nonentity lacking in required capacity to tinker a high calibre state as Anambra

The latest in this desperation is to go and mow down people whose sin is that they shouted Onwa in the house of God

God shall visit upon Obi,Obiano,Victor Umeh,their entire household including those who have seared their conscience on the altar of partisanship all the plagues written in the Bible

Their glory shall get cut off at the noon day! Opposition and alternative opinion is part of politicking and I see no reason why anyone should lose his or her life for not being in Obi/Obiano's camp!

sagombugo:

I pity the womb that bore you! You and your paymasters will answer to God eventually!

I weep for the senseless man that fathered you!

Obi is not known to be violent all the time we have know him. It was the violent and islamic party APC that brought this acts into our polity. God will judges you and your evil masters.

sagombugo: One needs no dibia to know that Peter Obi has been jittery lately owing to the fact that Obiano has been unmasked as a nonentity lacking in required capacity to tinker a high calibre state as Anambra

The latest in this desperation is to go and mow down people whose sin is that they shouted Onwa in the house of God

God shall visit upon Obi,Obiano,Victor Umeh,their entire household including those who have seared their conscience on the altar of partisanship all the plagues written in the Bible

Their glory shall get cut off at the noon day! Opposition and alternative opinion is part of politicking and I see no reason why anyone should lose his or her life for not being in Obi/Obiano's camp!

One day, i will be honoured †̥☺ shake the hand that typed this. Our society believes lies but thank God fø̲̣̣я̅ people like you and the one that wrote this:

specco: From what I heard it was Peter obi and his clueless stooge, mr Obiano that came to the crusade ground to campaign for votes but when the congregation started chanting Ngige, Ngige, Onwa, Onwa, all hell was let loose as Peter obi's soldiers started firing shots to scare the worshippers and there was a stampede. Some people were thoroughly manhandled and beaten while the dead were trampled upon. That's the true account of what happened.

as a concerned and unbiased, logical citizen based on reports. I make the following observations and concerns
1. It's uncommon finding a sitting gov. attending a vigil.
2. What is he the gov. doing with a man he is campaigning for at a vigil
3. Does it mean the gov. go everywhere with his
4. when Ngige visited the vigil, did he addressed the congregation. this report by the op didnt add up.

all what people are saying in nairaland makes no difference....the people who went to the vigil know exactly what happened so nothing can twist their thing....on november 16 the result would show.

Igbos, 419, armed robbery, kidnapping, stealling, cheating, church going, ritual, killing, etc - you will find all these in SE in equal proportion.

SE, land of sin.

Chino72: I said it, this is how the Islamic yorobar party APC used Ngige to kill our people.

You will never know peace......

This @OP is simply an APGA stooge, going from his previous topics.

He's most likely being paid to carry out some damage control on his paymasters.

I wonder how much he sold his soul......I just hope its higher than N4000.