Aba, 26 November, 2024 / 5:59 pm (ACI Africa).
Bishop Augustine Ndubueze Echema of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Aba has assured the people of God in his Episcopal See that measures will be taken to prevent a recurrence of the deadly stampede that marred this year’s Solemnity of Christ the King.
According to a Tuesday, November 26 Agenzia Fides report, two elderly women lost their lives in the stampede that happened during the annual Christ the King procession at the Christ the King Catholic Church (CKC) of Aba Diocese.
According to Agenzia Fides, “security forces had blocked the entrance to the church, causing the stampede, which caused several people to fall to the ground. An investigation into the tragic incident has now been launched.”
In a statement shared with ACI Africa on Monday, November 25, Bishop Echema said, “It is with deep regret and sadness that the annual joyful celebration of our Diocesan Feast Day which occurs every 34th Sunday of the Church year, ended on 24 November 2024, in a most tragic way.”
The Nigerian Catholic Bishop added, “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.”
