Police probe death of worshippers during Abia church procession

The Abia State Police Command has said it is probing the circumstances surrounding the death of some worshippers on Sunday when more than four faithful were feared trampled to death and about 13 children hospitalised as the Catholic Diocese of Aba held its celebration of the Diocesan Feast Day.

When PUNCH Metro contacted the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, on Tuesday, she said the command would “investigate the matter.”

Though the church did not state the number of casualties involved, the Catholic Bishop of Aba, Augustine Ndubueze Echema, in a statement addressed to “the Clergy, Religious and Faithful in Aba”, dated November 25, 2024, entitled, “A Tragic Christ The King Feast and Procession”, confirmed fatalities during the procession.

According to the Bishop, “It is with deep regret and sadness that the annual joyful celebration of our Diocesan Feast Day which occurs every 34° Sunday of the Church year, ended yesterday, November 23, 2024, in a most tragic way. Some of our devout and gallant Catholics, who trooped out, as usual, to join the annual Eucharistic Procession in a joyful mood, met their death as a result of overcrowding during the procession.
“May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace, Amen. Investigations are still ongoing to ascertain the true narrative, identity of victims, and cause of this awful episode.

“We condole with the deceased families, and sympathise with those injured, who are still convalescing in the hospital. We earnestly pray for their quick recovery. However, we pledge to support the affected families and individuals in this time of emergency and tragic event. Moreover, we wish to affirm that such an incident will not happen again.”
We shall do everything possible in the future to forestall such a tragedy; the first of its kind in the annals of Christ the King Procession in Aba.”
The statement further noted that the Church appealed “to our dynamic and gallant Catholics not to be discouraged and dampened in spirit,” stating that it won’t happen again.

“In this assurance, I entrust you all to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ the King and comfort of the Afflicted,” he concluded.

All calls and text messages put across to the Bishop by our correspondent to confirm the actual number of fatalities remained unresponded to.

However, unconfirmed sources from the area said most of the deceased were elderly women not below 50 years of age, and attributing the cause of the stampede and deaths to exhaustion due to fatigue, thirst for water and excessive exposure to hot weather.

According to a source, “Two women who died could not be identified as they had no form of identity, even phone on them.”