23 October 2026 7:42 am WAT
Tragedy marred an empowerment programme of the wife of the Governor of Cross River State in Ogoja Local Government Area on Thursday, as a stampede claimed the life of one woman and left two others hospitalized.
The incident occurred at about 3:30 p.m. when a surging crowd scrambled for empowerment items at the event venue, triggering a stampede.
Police confirm that two women were rescued and rushed to the General Hospital, Ogoja, where one was pronounced dead.
The deceased has been identified as Mary Christiana Oga of Imaje from Yala Local Government Area. The second victim remains under medical care.
Confirming the incident, the Cross River State Police Command said its operatives, alongside other security agencies, moved in to control the crowd and restore order.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, in a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah commiserated with the family of the deceased and wished the survivor speedy recovery, while stressing the need for proper crowd management and safety arrangements at public gatherings.
The Command said it has commenced a review of the sequence of events, the circumstances that led to the stampede and the crowd-control response, urging the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information.
The empowerment programme, attended by the Governor’s wife and her entourage, had continued to attract a growing crowd as attendees jostled to obtain items.
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