How 31 died in Kings Assembly Church in Rivers

By Enekorogha Godbless

No fewer than thirty-one persons have been confirmed dead in the tragedy that befell the Kings Assembly Church in Rivers state during the weekend.

It was gathered the Kings Assembly Church had invited members of the public to partake in the programme where gifts and food were promised to be distributed to the public.

A close source said the crowd was overwhelming and a rush by impatient persons caused the stampede.

According to the report, the victims got suffocated due to the heavy crowd and they eventually passed out.

The police spokesman for the state in the person of Grace Iringe -Koko had confirmed the incident. She said about 31 persons were dead. She added that the outreach was to give out palliatives to the underprivileged in society before the unexpected occurred.

“It is 31 persons that died. It was a stampede because a church was trying to give out palliatives.

“They were about to start the event by 9 am or so. But some people went there and broke into the place and went inside. So people started rushing in and there was a stampede.

“From the information we have, the church was trying to give items and food to assist the underprivileged.

“Meanwhile, the investigation has commenced ascertaining the remote and immediate causes of the incident,” Fringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, stated.