HOLY Ghost Night vigil, one of the most popular faith healing gatherings in Anambra state, ended on a tragic note yesterday at Uke in Idemili North Local Government area.

Twenty-eight of the participants in this month’s edition of the session laid dead after a stampede.

The state was in a pensive mood yesterday as news of the tragedy spread.

There were conflicting reports about the cause of the stampede.

One version put out by the Chairman, Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) in Anambra state, Comrade Aloysius Attah, stated that trouble started toward the end of the prayer session after a fire spark from the make-shift stall of a fried plantain seller at the ground.

Worshippers, who saw the spark, then shouted ‘fire’ causing a stampede.

People started running for their lives. Many fell in the process and were trampled upon by other fleeing worshippers.

Another version, related by an eye witness who gave his name simply as Kenechukwu, is that paid agents unexpectedly started shouting “Fire’ Fire, Fire,” which triggered off the stampede.

Another source said the stampede was caused by a trader who pushed a female worshipper from stamping on her wares while the struggling woman grabbed other people to avoid falling.

They all went down and those people who did not know what happened began running.

The police could not say immediately what caused it all.

Governor Peter Obi and the APGA candidate in this month’s governorship candidate in the state, Chief Willie Obiano, were at the vigil but left at about 3.30am before the incident some two hours later, witnesses said.

The injured were rushed to hospitals in Onitsha for treatment.

Some of them were said to have regained consciousness.

Governor Obi, the APC governorship candidate, Chris Ngige and two Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs), Kachy Ugorji and Philemon Leha, were among the early callers at the scene and the hospitals.

Hundreds of residents also rushed to the prayer ground and the hospitals to look for their relations among the dead and the survivors.

Obi said that a Panel of Enquiry would be set up immediately to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the incident.

He said he was heart-broken by the event, which he had personally attended.

The governor said he had returned home satisfied with the rewarding spiritual encounter only to get the shocking news of the stampede.

He consoled the bereaved and said those responsible for the tragedy would be punished under the law, if found or by God if not found by the law enforcement agents.

He cancelled all his engagements for the day.

At the adoration ground, the coordinator of the centre, Achebe Nnadi, told the governor that the confusion was started by shouts of fire when indeed there was none.

The Chief Medical Director of Crown Hospital, Dr.Edwin Emegoakor, who briefed the governor during a visit to the victims, said none of those brought there was dead.

Sixteen of the victims were confirmed to have been taken dead to Immaculate Heart Hospital and nine to St. Charles Borromeo Hospital.

Rev.Father Obinma said he was too shocked to talk to the press.

The weekly programme is organised by Rev. Fr Emmanuel Obinma (Ebubemonso) of the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry for prayers, healing and spiritual retreat.

The police in the state said they have commenced investigation into the tragedy.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the command, DSP Emeka Chukwuemeka, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uke that the police were yet to confirm the number of casualties.

.“The number of deaths cannot be ascertained now until we conclude investigations because some persons who fainted were later resuscitated,” he said.



Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/new/black-saturday-28-feared-dead-anambra-night-vigil-2/

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Relieved that Gov Obi did not cause it. This would have been very tragic for his political career..

Very sad dat APC decided to play politics with a tragic news like dis. We now know d mindset of some desperate Tinubu slave boys in d likes of Ngige and okorocha. They can go to any extent to grab power.

Nov 16, Anambra wil decide.

RIP to d dead.

Kponkwem: Relieved that Gov Obi did not cause it. This would have been very tragic for his political career..

Who told you Gov. Obi was not the immediate and remote cause of the stampede?

Ponder about these questions and revert:

Has Peter Obi ever attended the crusade at Uke before now?

Must he go there with his full campaign team?

If the priest invited him for blessing as he claimed, did he invite Victor Ume, Obiano and the entire campaign team?

Why must Obi remember the bad road and sponsoring of 20 people to Jerusalem at this political time?

Why turning a crusade ground to campaign ground?

Why did he choose to go there with his entire security team, all armed with tear gas?

Why did he go there dressed in full APGA regalia ditto his team?

Why! Why!! and Why!!!

Peter Obi will never come out of this unscathed?

Arysexy: Very sad dat APC decided to play politics with a tragic news like dis. We now know d mindset of some desperate Tinubu slave boys in d likes of Ngige and okorocha. They can go to any extent to grab power.

Nov 16, Anambra wil decide.

RIP to d dead.

Funny how you believed a balanced report from a newspaper site (the nation) that belongs to Tinubu , whom you have lambasted and his party of being desperate to have played politics with the pathetic tragedy.
http://thenationonlineng.net/new/black-saturday-28-feared-dead-anambra-night-vigil-2/

Judge yourself

Paul John:

Funny how you believed a balanced report from a newspaper site (the nation) that belongs to Tinubu , whom you have lambasted and his party of being desperate to have played politics with the pathetic tragedy.
http://thenationonlineng.net/new/black-saturday-28-feared-dead-anambra-night-vigil-2/

Judge yourself

Don't mind the scally wag

Arysexy: Very sad dat APC decided to play politics with a tragic news like dis. We now know d mindset of some desperate Tinubu slave boys in d likes of Ngige and okorocha. They can go to any extent to grab power.

Nov 16, Anambra wil decide.

RIP to d dead.

na today didn't they play with state of emergency own.

Clerverly:

Who told you Gov. Obi was not the immediate and remote cause of the stampede?

Ponder about these questions and revert:

Has Peter Obi ever attended the crusade at Uke before now?

Must he go there with his full campaign team?

If the priest invited him for blessing as he claimed, did he invite Victor Ume, Obiano and the entire campaign team?

Why must Obi remember the bad road and sponsoring of 20 people to Jerusalem at this political time?

Why turning a crusade ground to campaign ground?

Why did he choose to go there with his entire security team, all armed with tear gas?

Why did he go there dressed in full APGA regalia ditto his team?

Why! Why!! and Why!!!

Peter Obi will never come out of this unscathed?

cleverly where you there when the stampede happen.

Broken TV:
cleverly where you there when the stampede happen.

I don't need to be there to ask some relevant and fact probing questions oga!

Clerverly:

Who told you Gov. Obi was not the immediate and remote cause of the stampede?

Ponder about these questions and revert:

Has Peter Obi ever attended the crusade at Uke before now?

Must he go there with his full campaign team?

If the priest invited him for blessing as he claimed, did he invite Victor Ume, Obiano and the entire campaign team?

Why must Obi remember the bad road and sponsoring of 20 people to Jerusalem at this political time?

Why turning a crusade ground to campaign ground?

Why did he choose to go there with his entire security team, all armed with tear gas?

Why did he go there dressed in full APGA regalia ditto his team?

Why! Why!! and Why!!!

Peter Obi will never come out of this unscathed?

This just go to show that Gov Obi's 8years tenure is a failure if not y must it take him as far as going to a church at the dead of the, clad in Apga uniform with his anointed candidate and party chairman at such an unholy hour before he can succesfully get a majority vote for his party? His conduct around this election just show his level of low acceptance amöng the populace.

Clerverly:

Who told you Gov. Obi was not the immediate and remote cause of the stampede?

Ponder about these questions and revert:

Has Peter Obi ever attended the crusade at Uke before now?

Must he go there with his full campaign team?

If the priest invited him for blessing as he claimed, did he invite Victor Ume, Obiano and the entire campaign team?

Why must Obi remember the bad road and sponsoring of 20 people to Jerusalem at this political time?

Why turning a crusade ground to campaign ground?

Why did he choose to go there with his entire security team, all armed with tear gas?

Why did he go there dressed in full APGA regalia ditto his team?

Why! Why!! and Why!!!

Peter Obi will never come out of this unscathed?

TO ANSWER UR QUESTION HE IS A MEMBER OF THE PRAYER GROUP ASK ANY TRUTHFUL PERSON HE WILL TELL U.I REFUSE TO COMMENT TILL I FOUND OUT DAT ALL THOSE ACCUSATION ARE MERE LIES PLS DNT PLAY POLITICS WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS

presher: TO ANSWER UR QUESTION HE IS A MEMBER OF THE PRAYER GROUP ASK ANY TRUTHFUL PERSON HE WILL TELL U.I REFUSE TO COMMENT TILL I FOUND OUT DAT ALL THOSE ACCUSATION ARE MERE LIES PLS DNT PLAY POLITICS WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS

Prayer group ko prayer group ni, a sinner in a prayer group? o dikwa egwu!

Clerverly:

I don't need to be there to ask some relevant and fact probing questions oga!

then keep quiet since you are a spectator like every nairaland here to the issue of the stampede.