By Precious Akutamadu
The Commissioner of Police (CP) in Rivers, CP Friday Eboka, has given directive for the conduct of discreet investigations into the Saturday stampede in Port Harcourt in which 31 persons died.
The commissioner’s directive is contained in a statement issued by DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state on Saturday in Port Harcourt.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that 31 persons died in the stampede which occurred during an outreach programme organised by a new generation church, Kings Church Assembly, early Saturday.
Eboka, while condemning the incident, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigations Department of the command to carry out the investigations into the incident discretely.
He further called on religious and charity organisations to ensure they worked with the police for security and crowd control management when organising their programmes in the future.
The CP commiserates with the bereaved families and prayed God to comfort and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.
“Preliminary investigations conducted by the command have however revealed that the unfortunate incident occurred when the management of Kings Church Assembly organised a crusade which attracted mammoth crowd.
“It further revealed that there were plans by the church management to give away food and gift items to the less privileged.
“Unfortunately, the crowd became tumultuous and uncontrollable and all efforts made by the organisers to bring sanity proved abortive hence, the stampede,” he said. (NAN)
