Two elderly women lost their lives and several others were injured as worshippers gathered for the Christ the King procession on Sunday, Nov 24, at Christ the King Catholic (CKC) Church in Aba, Abia State.
The annual procession, celebrated in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches, marks the kingship of Jesus Christ.
The event, organized by the Catholic Diocese of Aba, attracted a massive crowd.
The mammoth crowd spilled into the church’s gate area, creating a congested environment.
Two elderly women from Holy Cross Parish in Aba collapsed at the venue and were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were pronounced d£@d.
Several children fainted during the procession and were taken to a private hospital for medical attention.
A boy who survived but suffered injuries
A Catholic faithful, Modestus Kalu, lamented that while instances of people collapsing during processions have occurred, this was the first time fatalities were recorded. He called on the Diocese to decentralize the procession to avoid overcrowding in future events.
“The crowd overflowed, and the atmosphere was unfriendly. Many people have serious health conditions. The Catholic Church should have known better and prepared for such occurrences. Nobody deserves to die such an avoidable death,” Kalu stated.
He urged the Bishop of Aba Diocese to direct parishes to hold processions within their own premises instead of converging at CKC, where overcrowding is common.
Watch a video showing the crowd here. Also, here is a video of a child who survived.