According to The Punch, tragedy struck on Saturday during a chaotic stampede at the Obijackson Centre in the Amanranta area of Okija, Anambra State.
The heartbreaking event claimed the lives of no fewer than 22 individuals, leaving families and the community in mourning. Among the grieving is Uchenna Nwaudo, the husband of one of the victims, who expressed profound sorrow over his wife’s death, lamenting that he had warned her against attending the ill-fated event.
The stampede occurred at the venue of a charity program meant for the distribution of palliatives, including 25kg bags of rice, bottles of vegetable oil, and cash assistance. Reports indicate that the victims—primarily middle-aged women, the elderly, and children—were crushed as the massive crowd jostled for entry at the gate. The scene turned chaotic as people scrambled to secure their share of the relief items.
In a conversation with reporters on Sunday, Nwaudo recounted the events leading up to the tragedy with a heavy heart. “I am from Umuohi village in Okija. On the fateful day, I had warned my wife not to go to the rice-sharing venue because of our little baby who was not feeling fine. I asked my wife not to attend the event to look after the boy.
Despite his warnings, his wife decided to attend the charity event, driven perhaps by the pressing economic hardships many families in the area are currently facing. Nwaudo said he had left for his business at Ihiala junction when he received a distressing phone call urging him to rush to the event’s location. “I was at the place of my business at Ihiala junction when I was called to rush to Amaranta, venue of the palliatives sharing, that there was a heavy stampede and my wife was trampled upon and that she had just slumped on the floor. I expressed surprise as I had already warned her not to attend.”
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