Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and the state Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, on Saturday ordered an investigation into the stampede that led to the death of 31 persons, including children, at the Port Harcourt Polo Club in the state capital.
The incident happened at the venue of an outreach organised by the Kings Church Assembly, on Saturday morning. The programme, tagged, ‘Shop for free’, was organised to distribute foods and other items to people for free.
The governor, in a statement by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, expressed sadness over the loss of lives, saying the state government would set up a probe panel to investigate the incident.
The statement titled, ‘Wike mourns victims of Polo Club stampede,’ added, “On behalf of the government and people of Rivers State, I pray to God to grant the bereaved families the fortitude to bear the loss of their loved ones. The governor said the Rivers State Government will constitute a probe panel to investigate the incident and details of what transpired.”
Also, the police in a statement by its acting spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the church programme attracted a mammoth crowd, which became tumultuous and uncontrollable.
The statement added, “Unfortunately, all efforts made by the organisers to restore sanity proved abortive, hence, the stampede. Persons that were injured were swiftly evacuated to the hospital for immediate medical treatment. Unfortunately, a total of 31 persons lost their lives in the stampede.”
Iringe-Koko noted, however, that normalcy had been restored in the area.
