When Mrs. Jennifer Jackson, 38, a widow and mother of four accepted an invitation from a neighbour to attend the May 28, 2022 Shop-for-Free seminar of Kings Assembly Church at the Polo Club field, GRA, Port Harcourt she did not know it was an invitation to death. She and hundreds of other people who got injured or lost loved ones in the early morning tragedy did not only return empty handed without the promised food and household items, they have been left alone to bury their dead and bear the full burden of their bereavement.
More curious is the effort by the organisers of the ill-fated event, Kings Assembly Church, security agencies and government departments to sweep the entire incident under the carpet. There was also the failure of agencies in the emergency sector like the fire brigades to respond promptly to the incident, even though the federal fire service was just a few hundred metres away from the venue of the incident and the state fire service was about 20 minutes away.
Police investigations into the incident have become endless. The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Friday Eboka, had ordered a “discreet investigation” by the DCP State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID). The promise by Rivers State Government and Federal Government to probe the incident never saw the light of day. Even the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) that gave out relief materials to the victims is not willing give out the statistics of the tragedy.
The church had promised to investigate the incident and come up with its own report. But that promise was never kept as a church official told National Point that the church would rather not reopen the sad incident.
The result is that more than two months after the worst human disaster in the history of Port Harcourt occurred, there is no information as to how many people died, the identity of the dead and injured and why the victims have been abandoned to their fate by the hosts of the event that caused the stampede, the government and security agencies.
The Shop-for-Free seminar, which had become an annual event since it was initiated over ten years ago had a major component; to present foodstuffs and other household items free to participants of the programme.
Previous programmes were successful and peacefully conducted. This encouraged the church to hype that of 2022. Shop-for-Free had become a signature programme of Kings Assembly whose membership has been growing in leaps and bounds.
The Kings Assembly sourced the gift items for the why you can see that kind of rush for free food and personal goods.”
Samuel Orji Eke, 33, who broke an arm and lost his son in the May 28 stampede at the Polo Club field said even Muslims were counted among those that died in the stampede. So it wasn’t a denominational or religious-centred event.
In preparing for the event, members and contractors of the church had spent good time on Friday, the 27th setting up the venue with canopies, chairs, and platforms. The choice of Polo Field was well appointed because it was large enough to contain any overflow of the crowd that the church was expecting.
Even the management of the Polo Club attested to what appeared to be the safety of the venue they handed over to the church. Chukwudi Dimkpa, the President of the club said, “The part of the Club where this tragic incident occurred is the area that the Club regularly gives out to interested individuals, corporate organizations, etc for their events and programs, after a thorough screening exercise has been carried out by the Club.”
Everything was set for what would have been the biggest giveaway programme in the city of Port Harcourt. But that was not to be. The devil had other plans as it sneaked in before the event started. Instead of supporting lives, the Shop-for-Free programme became a harvest of deaths and the worst human tragedy in one day in the history of Port Harcourt.
“Not even during the civil war that was fought heavily in Port Harcourt that this kind of deaths was recorded in one day,” said a sympathiser who National Point found at the home of one of the victims.
The death toll was huge and the losses to individual families was catastrophic. In one family, five persons died. In another, a woman and her her two daughters perished. One church usher that moved in to rescue victims also fell victim and died. He owned a shop at Mgbuoba, near the home of Eke, who lost his son. Eke also told about his sister’s neighbour at NTA road, who died with two of her children. A policewoman, Victoria Success and her son, Victor and daughter, Daniella, died on the stampede. There were also Muslims and victims that came from Bayelsa and Abia States.
Just before dawn, scores of people, mainly women and children were crushed to death within minutes as thousands of people pressed to gain entry into the venue of the event. Given the wide publicity the Shop-for-Free programme had, people had started gathering at the gate of the Polo Club field from as early as 4am, according to one of survivors of the stampede, who said she and her daughter got there that early to meet other people waiting.
The stampede and deaths could have been avoided or the losses reduced, according to findings of National Point if crowd control measures were taken by the organisers of the event and if there was prompt response from emergency and security agencies.
Some of the victims that spoke to National Point said the gates to the Polo Field were locked against the thousands of people that had gathered early to participate in the event. It was when the people became restless and agitated that the pedestrian gate was opened. But it came too late. The rush that followed saw those behind pushing down and trampling on those in front. A report said the incident happened as some members of the Polo Club that arrived for early morning practice opened the small gate to gain entry.
Eke, who went there with his family of five, narrated what happened to him. “As people were falling, instead of the people at the back waiting for the people that fell to stand up, the ones at the back were still pushing. People were falling down and others were marching on them,” he said.Eke, whose wife passed out during the stampede, said it was a second wave of pushing that became very tragic. He said, “We has already entered. We did not drag with anybody or push anybody. But we were waiting for those that fell in our front to stand up before the people from that back started pushing. That was when people started falling again and unfortunately, my son got out of my grip.”
Another victim, Mrs. Jennifer Jackson, who lost her 16-year-old daughter, Precious, in the stampede said, “We walked normally to enter the gate. But before we reached the gate, we started feeling something pressing us. I heard voices shouting before I too joined (in the shouting). My daughter shouted only once and I didn’t hear her voice again. And for me, I didn’t hear myself again. I saw myself going.
Narrating further, Eke said, “When the thing happened, they wanted to march on us; had it been I fell on the ground I would have been a dead man too. They marched me and I was carrying this one (one of his daughters). As they pushed me, I was trying to bring back myself up. I was holding this one by my left hand side. So I managed to throw her out. My wife didn’t know how this one (the second daughter) applied but after several visits, the hospital directed our correspondent to the police, who they said was the only body that could make their report public.
Contacted, the PPRO, Grace Iringe-Koko, said a comprehensive report of the incident and the forensic report was sent to Abuja for analysis and any further police statement on the stampede would be based on the analysis from Abuja. “It has already been sent to Abuja. That’s the beginning of our own comprehensive investigation report. It’s not something for the public for now,” she said.
The church was not willing to discuss the incident and the details. Several efforts by National Point to get church officials to talk proved abortive. However one Pastor Charles Odoko, said to be the welfare officer of the church told National Point that the church was in regular contact with the victims and their families but would not want to make it a media issue.
He said the only public position of the church remained the first press statement it issued soon after the incident. Part of the statement, which was made by the church’s director of administration, Chimeka Elem, was that the church would investigate the incident and file a report on it, the church was not willing to divulge the outcome of the investigation.
President Muhammadu Buhari who commiserated with the victims had also called for a probe into the incident. He had ordered that everything should be done to provide relief to the victims and bereaved families.
In all, at least four investigations were supposed to have been launched into the incident, excluding the routine coroner inquest. But none of the reports of the probes has been made public. It is known that two, that of the Rivers State and Federal Government never took place. The church and the police were not willing to open up on their findings.
In the meantime, the bereaved families and the victims are left alone.
But would they explore the option of seeking redress in court? The family members that spoke to NATIONAL POINT on this were not too disposed to going to court against the church and the state for the negligence that led to their losses.
Mr. Demua however said the police should take up the matter and prosecute the organisers of the programme. “I have not seen anything like the police going to arrest the people, the church or the pastor,” he said. Unfortunately, he said the police has made him sign an undertaking not to prosecute the matter.
Eke said without money to even take care of his family, he cannot afford legal fees to sue. ” Going to court is money. What I am only begging them is to know how to come to our rescue in terms of assistance or compensate us. What has happened has happened. I am not going to blame anybody for this or for that. But they that conducted a programme and invited people to come, we are expecting them to do something,” he said.
What if he is offered free legal services, Eke said, “I will accept. But doing case will not bring back the boy,” he said.
Mrs. Jackson said she will not press charges against the church for the death of her daughter. “We don’t have the money to go to court. We don’t have the means; we don’t have the voice. We don’t have anything. We just leave everything to God. The Bible says in everything, we give thanks. So we just said God, thank you. We leave everything to God. We don’t know any lawyer. We don’t know any court. I have never been to court before.”
What would they want the church and government to do for them?
Mrs. Comfort Ebelema, the grandmother of Precious who died in the stampede said, “I am just looking money to start my mama-put business. My daughter (Precious’ mother) will support me.
Eke said, “If there is anyway they can assist us in terms of empowerment or a kind of establishment so that we can use it to remember our lost ones that died in their programme; something that we can be doing and using to remember the lost. There is no amount of money that you can give us that will bring back someone’s life. Like this now, life is upside-down for us.”
A similar incident had occurred in December, 2020 when an online arranged to give out palliatives to people at the Rumuodara area of the city.
Our Life Is Upside-down – Orji Eke
Can we get to know you?
My name is Samuel Orji Eke. I am a generator mechanic. I work on diesel and petrol generators. I am 33 years old. I live at 5, Chiolu Street, Mgbuoba off NTA Rd, Port Harcourt.
What’s the name of your child that died in the Polo Field stampede?
His name is Delight Orji Eke. He was five years old.
What’s the name of his school?
The name of his school was Great- Leads Model School.
In what class was he?
He was in Nursery 2. He was supposed to be in Basic this September.
What kind of child was he?
He was my first child and my only son.
What kind of person was he? Was he very active; brilliant…?
He was my favourite son till I lost him. He was very very brilliant. He was even the one that helped the younger ones do their assignments and carried these other ones whenever their mother was washing or cooking or doing house chores. He was always the one helping the little ones being his younger sisters.
What happened on that day, May 28, 2022?
I was invited by someone, the person I worked for as a mechanic. He told me that they were having a church programme in their area, that I should come. He invited me on Wednesday, that I should come on Saturday, that they were having programme in their area at Kings Assembly Church, Tombia Extension.
On Thursday, he called me again that if I was coming I should come with my family. So if I dropped them there I could go to work and while coming back I would come and pick them. I didn’t intend to go there and stay with them. I said, let me drop my family there since they were doing Shop-for-Free. He said the man used to do it every year after the programme; it was like empowerment to assist people. So, I had in mind that it was just a normal place that you go to church and have a seat.
I took my family that morning, hoping to drop them and go for my work. We had (equipment) servicing at 95.7 FM Radio at Forces Avenue. That was where we were going to work, at a radio station. So, we hoped to drop them (the family) there and go to work. And while coming back we would stay with them or pick them and go.
On reaching there that morning, the crowd wasn’t much. People had gathered there outside the gate. When we got there, we saw vehicles, people hanging around, waiting for the gate to be opened. When I checked the time, it was 6.10 am. The crowd wasn’t much, the gate was locked. People were still outside waiting for them to open the gate. We waited there for a while.
All of a sudden, people started coming; coming small, small. People started coming, coming. The crowd became more than it was supposed to be.
Instead of them to open the gate from the initial time; they didn’t open it. They went and opened the smaller gate. So, people that hung around the GoTV and DSTV office there at Emeyal Street started rushing from far forcing their way in through the small gate. I and my family were standing behind the big gate waiting for them to open the gate so that we could enter at once.
So, based on the crowd that were forcing themselves through the small gate, that’s when they opened the big gate immediately. They opened it without any coordination. So as they opened it, people wanted to divert from the small gate to the big gate. That was when people started falling. That is how the stampede occurred.
As people were falling, instead of people at the back waiting for people that fell to stand up, the ones at the back were still pushing. It was when they opened the big gate, that was when things started happening. Nobody got into that place safely. Nobody had even entered at the time of this incident, except those people that forced themselves through the small gate.
People were falling and others were marching on them. That was when I carried this my daughter; my wife was carrying the other one. Then I was holding my son because he could walk. So, I just held him, trying to protect him.
We had already entered. We did not drag with anybody or push anybody. But it’s just that those that fell in our own front there, we were waiting for them to stand up before the the people from the back started pushing. That was when people started falling again and unfortunately my son got out of my grip. That’s what happened that day.
It’s not only me. Even before my son died, people were still shouting for help. Even the police could not do anything. The officials for crowd control could not do anything as all these things were happening.
Had the officials of the church come by then?
I saw people in black with Shop-for-Free inscription on their uniform. As the gate, it was pan, and not a see-through, you could not know who opened the gate from inside. I do not actually know if it was the Polo Club security or the church officials that opened the gate. I cannot give account of that. What I know is that the gate was just opened and it wasn’t us that opened it. It was somebody from inside that opened it.
How did help come?
When this thing happened, there was nobody that came with help. By then, my son had not died; and nobody could come for help. We even saw other people dying when they were shouting for help and nobody came. There was no emergency, no first-aid, nothing.
When the police later came, what they did was to use their gun; they were shooting to scare people away. Still there was no way. We only saw the ushers who wore black. But they could not help.
What about your wife and the other child; were they outside?
We were all together. My wife fainted. This my hand I cannot raise it very well anymore up till now. When the thing happened they wanted to march on us. Had it been I fell on the ground I would have been a dead man too. They marched on me and I was carrying this one. As they pushed me I was trying to bring back myself up. I was holding this one by my left hand side. So, I managed to throw this one out of that crowd. I just threw her out. My wife didn’t know how this one was saved. My wife was also stampeded. she collapsed at that moment. We didn’t even know how this one was saved. I only knew that I threw this one. I managed to force this one out of my hand. That was how I saved her. Then looking for a way of how to carry my boy, there was no way because the crowd there was too much. So I couldn’t save that one.marched my hand, when they were stepping on people. That was how they marched this hand and broke it. Up till now, if I raise this hand too much it will be very painful.
Haven’t you gone for any medicals?
I have gone for tests. I have gone to the orthopaedic hospital at Rumuekini. That’s where they set the bone back. But up till now I cannot use it to do any work. I have not gone to work since this thing happened; since that May till now.
As my wife is now, she is not feeling fine. She was admitted from that same period till now. She was just discharged just two weeks ago from the hospital based on the shock and trauma. Even up till now, she went for check-up today. The result has not been received.
Did she develop high blood pressure?
Yes.
But she didn’t have BP before then?
She wasn’t having BP. None of us had any issue before then. Let me show you some drugs I bought after we went to the hospital. After she was discharged, the thing is still disturbing her. We are waiting for the latest result to come out so that we can know what to do.
Were you among those who were taken to the military hospital?
Yes.
How did it go there?
When this thing happened, we were trying to look for help. Nobody could help. That was when I called my oga that invited me. He came immediately to the Polo Club and rushed us to the Military Hospital. That is how we got to the hospital. On getting there, the doctors and the nurses didn’t even attend to us. We had to rush him again to BMH (Braithwaite Memorial Hospital) to see if we could revive him. The nurses and doctors there couldn’t help. When you call a doctor, he would say he’s off-duty. When you call the other one, he would say wait for the next doctor that they were on night duty, that we should wait for the morning people to come and attend to us. We got provoked and took him to another hospital where they confirmed him dead.
We still came back to the house to see if we could revive him because the body was still hot. The eyes and mouth were still open. It wasn’t as if he was dead. We brought him back here (home) and used kernel oil and onions and other things and rubbed and prayed and nothing happened. That was how we took him back to the military hospital there. In the process of taking him for burial, the police team came in. The state CID commander came and said nobody should remove any corpse that they had come for their normal investigation. That was how my son remained there. If not we would have buried him that same day. We were making arrangements to go and bring ambulance to go and bury him before the police came and said nobody should remove anything.
Meanwhile, people had removed their own corpses that early morning. Some moslems took their persons immediately. One person whose pregnant wife and three children died took all of them that same moment before the police got involved.
Pregnant wife and three children?
Three children. My sister’s neighbour with her two children too died. They lived at the back of NTA Road. There was a policewoman that died with her two children. She was buried on June 13.
What has the church done about it?church has not done anything. When this thing happened we tried to reach the church. They did not give us any listening or attention. All they did was that when you call them, they would tell you, we are on it, we are on it. When I was crying for them to release my son’s corpse to go and bury immediately, it was because of the same expenses I was dodging. I didn’t have money to go and spend on mortuary and all that. I was crying for them to release the boy for me to go and bury. After much time wasting, they asked us to go through these processes – application for release of corpse, affidavit etc. I went to court to swear to an affidavit; then after some weeks the approval for the Authority to Release Corpse came from the Commissioner of Police. I paid money for all these things. I called the church to hear from them. They said I should go on and do all these things and take the corpse.
When I was supposed to get him without any expenses, they did not allow me to carry him. Not only him, everyone that was affected except the ones that carried their corpses immediately.
At the mortuary, I spent money there. I called the church before going. They said anything they asked me to do, I should do. They have not come to my assistance in any form. The church has not assisted us with any dime. Each time I called them, they would tell us they are on it, they are on it. How are you going to assist us bury our person? They said that’s not their concern. We should go and bury our person. I don’t know if they have any plan for us. We don’t know yet. All that they have been telling us is that we should go and bury our persons.
How many people were killed in the stampede?
From the list I gathered when they were calling us, when NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) came, the number was 78 dead, injured was over 70. The list of the dead was different, injured was different. And it was not all the corpses that were deposited in the mortuary there. Some were at UPTH (University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital), some at private hospitals.
The number they were giving there was not the accurate figure. The man that owned the supermarket where I picked you was among the dead victims. He was a member of the church. He was one of the ushers. He went to rescue people before he got trapped.
What about the state government?
They said they were trying to reach the church for a press conference. But up till now, the church has not called us for any press conference. We have not heard from the state government too except that day that (Governor Nyesom) Wike and (President Muhammadu) Buhari condemned it and consoled us. Up till now, we have not heard anything from them. It’s only NEMA that has intervened.
Where are you from?
I am from Abia State.
Where in Abia?
Bende Local Government Area, Ugwueke.
Have you considered seeking redress in court if they fail to reach out to you?
For me, I don’t have the money to be running up and down for court cases. The little I just spent now, I know how much I managed to raise it. And since this incident I have not regained myself. Life has not been fair for us. For someone to lose his lovely son, my only son for that matter, and he’s the oldest. Life has not been fair for us, in short.
The thing is still giving us big shock. Going to court is money. What I am begging them is to know how to come to our rescue in terms of assistance or compensation. What has happened has happened. I am not going to blame anybody for this or for that. But they that conducted a programme and invited people to come; you will not do an occasion and invite people to come and they will not come. They will come. That is what we did. So, we are expecting them to do something. Since that time this thing happened, they have not done anything.
If free legal service is offered to you, would you accept?
I will accept. But doing case will not bring back the boy.
But they can get them to attend to you…?
Not only me; to everybody involved in this. We are seeking for justice. If any organisation can come to our rescue to bring back the mind of government and the church to us. All over Nigeria, if you go to court it is money; go to here is money, everything is money, money. I don’t have money for such things.
Sometimes, a case might take a long time. But eventually if they want to do justice something good might come in for the victim. The church organised this programme and it is their primary responsibility to ensure that it is safely done. If they fail in that aspect they are liable. They should pay for the injury suffered.
I am not the only one looking for justice. All my fellow bereaved families are also looking for justice.
Do you people (victims) meet from time to time?
It’s through me that the media got to know about it. I was like the front line person.
Do you have an idea of all the people affected?
I don’t have it. From what I am seeing, the church are trying to boycott some people. They are trying to remove some people from it. When they called me last two Saturdays after I buried my son and came back. I called them that I was going to bury my son, they said go ahead. But last week the radio brought up the news. Then one of the pastors called to console me. He said the church did not just keep quiet, that they are still on it. I said this same story you have been telling me since; when we have buried our people, you are still on it. What is your plan? Let’s know what you are planning. They said they would call us. That was when I started calling up other victims that I have their numbers. I asked if the church had called them, they said no. I told them they called me.
I am seeing that I am in the front, they want to get in contact with me and keep the other ones off.
Is it that they want to get you to keep quiet and then the issue would be taken care of?
Yes. And I cannot be in support of that. What I lost is also what other people lost. Some people even lost more than me. If they should give me N1 and others don’t get, what benefits will I get? I cannot talk for myself and ignore the other people. No. This is a general thing. I know I will fight for my own right. But in this case, you have to bring everybody along.
How have you been coping? You said you have not resumed your work since the incident, likewise your wife.
She is not working again. She was just discharged from hospital last week. As she is now, she is still not feeling fine. I too, I cannot use this hand to carry something heavy.
So how do you get support?
We have been managing by what people bring for us. Like this food here is what we have been eating, added to what my mother brought for us. The whole money I had in my account has been used for treatment and moving around.
Your mother brought foodstuff for you?
Yes. And my elder brother. He was the one that paid most of the hospital bills.
What do you want the church and government to do for you?
If there is any way they can assist us in terms of empowerment or a kind of establishment so that we can use it to remember our lost ones that died in their programme; something that we can be doing and use to remember the lost ones. There is no amount of money that you give us that will bring back someone’s life. But at least, in this case they should know what to do so that we can continue life.
Like this now, life is upside-down to us. These kids now, I just paid their school fees on Thursday; Friday was Children’s Day, Saturday, this thing happened. It is painful that someone will train a child to that extent and lose him.
I saw myself going, Jennifer, survivor of Polo Field stampede
What’s your name and where do you come from?
My name is Mrs. Jennifer Jackson. I am from Ataba in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
What’s your relationship with the deceased?
She was my first child.
What was your experience at the Military Hospital on the day of the stampede?
When we reached the Military Hospital, to where they had carried many people that collapsed at the Polo Field, there were two to three vehicle loads of victims before our own. So they said they wanted to rush them to the hospital to fight for their lives so that they would be revived.
But when we got there, any motor that came, they would just drop the people that fainted on the field there and go away.
They didn’t attend to the victims?
They didn’t do anything. They just took us there, dropped everybody there like that. I held my daughter that I could not leave her there.
Most of the people were just dropped there. Before my own motor got there, I saw many people that were left there. We stayed there before the sun came out.
I said, “Ah! I cannot stay here with this girl.” I started shouting before I saw the hospital people. As they came they brought folders and started writing names. After that, they didn’t do anything again. Then I started shouting again that they should help me carry my daughter away that I could not stay in the sun again. Anyone I called would say, “wait they would go and call a taxi. So, I waited for long before one man said I should leave the gate and look for a taxi.
Out on the road, I met three men standing there and I pleaded with them to help me that I was not with anything, that I wanted to take my daughter home. So they gave me N1,500 for a taxi to carry her.
Later on, when I got a taxi, a man met me and asked another person to give him some money for me. That one collected N5,000 and gave to me.
Then I carried the girl to my headquarters church (Salvation Ministries). At the church, they prayed and one of the pastors said I should take her to hospital. One hospital like that, Save a Life. When we got there, the doctor said I should take her home. When I got home, I started reaching out.
Was it the church that brought the vehicles that took you to the military hospital?
I don’t know. I fainted and woke up before I saw my daughter dying. I saw a crowd of people on the ground. So, it was at that time that I saw many people bringing motor to come and carry the people that fainted to the hospital. They said they would carry them to rescue them. But when we got to the hospital, they didn’t do anything. Nothing, nothing, nothing. That is what made me angry.
That was serious. But they rushed you there to get urgent attention?
They didn’t do anything at all. Even till today, I am annoyed. That folder they gave to you…
They didn’t give me anything. They came after a long time to give folders and they were asking people for their names. I didn’t even need to write names there. But my mind told me to just give them. So, I gave them the name. So they wrote the name.
After then, did the church come in?
They said they will come. It was a journalist from a radio station that gave us the number to call them. So, when we called them, they said they would get back to us. Later on they called us to go to Port Harcourt City Council where NEMA was distributing relief materials.
That was long after the incident…
Long after. But they didn’t call us. It was after the NEMA event that they called to say they will reach out to us that we should not worry. We are still waiting till now.
What did NEMA give to you?
They gave us rice and some materials like foam, mats, salt, seasoning and spices. No money o!
What about the state government?
We didn’t see them. I haven’t heard anything from them.
They haven’t called?
No. Not even the church people. They haven’t visited. They have not even asked where our address is or where we stay.
Do you have an idea of the total number of people that died or families that were affected?
I don’t know.
How active was your daughter when she was alive?
She was a very smart and strong girl. She was saying she wanted to be a lawyer. She was to take her examination on Monday, on Saturday she died. We had done everything possible for her to sit the Junior WAEC.
What do you do for a living?
I bake buns and sell them.
Where were you living before you packed in here?
We were living at Ada George. We packed in here in May.
Is that where they were going to school?
Yes. But they can still continue there. It’s not far from here. But the fees they asked for is the problem.
No other person or charity organisation apart from NEMA has come in to drop something for you?
They haven’t o.
You said felt something hot when the stampede happened..
We just walked normally to enter the gate. But before we reached the gate we started feeling something pressing us. I heard voices shouting before I too joined. That my daughter shouted only once and I didn’t hear her voice again. And for me, I didn’t get myself again. I didn’t hear my voice again. I saw myself going.
Did people step in you?Nobody stepped on us. I didn’t see. They were just pressing us down. Everyone started falling on top of one another. It was not a stampede. They formed two lines. The area was hot. A breeze just blew before things started pressing us.
When I and my daughter reached there, there were not much people there.
Do you know some other people that were victims of the incident?
The only person that I know is that boy that they took our names and numbers to. His first son died in that incident. He had injury on his arm.
How do you feel now?
We are not happy. A girl like that died just like that.
Don’t you think there’s some negligence on the part of the organisers? If they organised itbwell they would not have had this situation. Since they didn’t organise it well, they should bear the responsibility.
Yes. But they that said they will see us, what is keeping them? Even the money we spent to bury that girl, they didn’t give us. They didn’t do anything.
Where did you bury her?
Because we don’t have money, we couldn’t take her home for burial.
At Port Harcourt cemetery?
Yes.
They didn’t charge you so much?
I didn’t go. It was my brother, my elder brother, my brother-in-law. About four of them contributed the money and our pastor gave us N10,000. Our satellite pastor.
What’s the name of your church?
Salvation Ministries.
How old are you?
I am 38.
When did your husband die?
2018.
Was he also from Andoni?
Yes.
You were living together at Ada George?
No. He was living in the village
What’s his name?
Ifuk Jackson.
What are the ages of the other children?
Two boys and a girl. The senior boy is 11, the girl is nine. The younger boy, December will make him four years.
You are left alone to take care of all of them?
Only me, just me.
President Muhammadu Buhari
“All efforts should be made to provide relief to those injured in the unfortunate incident.”
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State
“On behalf of the Government and people of Rivers State, I pray for God to grant the bereaved families the fortitude to bear the loss of their loved ones.
“I also pray for the souls of all the faithful departed rest in perfect peace. And to the injured, I wish them a speedy recovery.”“The state government will constitute a probe panel to investigate the incident and details on what transpired.”
Chimeka Elem, Director, Administration, Kings Assembly Church
“The King’s Assembly is deeply saddened by the stampede incident that happened in the early hours before the commencement of our benevolence and outreach programme called Shop-for-Free at Polo Club, in Port Harcourt on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
“The purpose of this non-denominational event is to share with the less privileged the gifts provided by our members, friends, and partners. Unfortunately, lives were lost and several people sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“Our Medical Team has been working with medical volunteers and the Military Hospital in Port Harcourt to provide emergency medical services to those affected in this incident.
“While the incident has been reported to the Nigerian Police Force, the church has commissioned a team of safety specialists to establish the immediate causes of the stampede to enable us to provide the authorities all required information in compliance with public safety laws.”
Dr. Chukwudi Dimkpa, President of Port Harcourt Polo Club
“This very sad and fatal incident culminated in the tragic loss of life of about 31 people, including women and children.
“As a responsible organization and as a mark of respect to the dead, we immediately shut down the entire Club premises for 24 hours to ensure that the relevant agencies of the Government could have unfettered access to the affected part of the Club’s premises to enable them handle the situation effectively.
“The part of the Club where this tragic incident occurred is the area that the Club regularly gives out to interested individuals, corporate organizations, etc for their events and programs, after a thorough screening exercise has been carried out by the Club.
Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, Deputy Governor of Rivers State.
“We are very sorry; it is a real tragedy, particularly for those who lost their lives, and families who are bereaved. We will make sure that nothing close to that happens again.”
Grace Iringe-Koko, Police Public Relations Officer, Rivers State
“Preliminary investigations conducted by the Command have however revealed that the unfortunate incident occured when the management of Kings Church Assembly organized a crusade which attracted mammoth crowd.
“There were plans by the church management to give away food and gift items to the less privilege.
“Unfortunately, the crowd became tumultuous and uncontrollable and all efforts made by the organizers to bring sanity proved abortive hence, the stampede.
“On receipt of the information, the Commissioner of Police immediately drafted adequate police patrol teams to the scene and they were able to restore normalcy. Persons that were injured were swiftly evacuated to the Hospital for immediate medical treatment. Unfortunately, a total of thirty-one persons lost their lives in the stampede.
“Meanwhile, the situation has been brought under control and enough police presence has been put on ground to work with the Command’s safety management officers
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Eboka Friday, while condemning the incident, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-Charge of the State Criminal Investigations Department to carry out discrete investigations into the incident. He further called on religious and charity organizations to ensure they work with the Police for security and crowd control management in organizing their programmes in the future. The CP commiserates with the bereaved families and pray God to comfort and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.”
Items Donated By NEMA To Victims
Items donated by NEMA include
1. 1,000 bags of rice (10kg),
2. 50kegs of vegetable oil,
3. 30 cartons of seasoning cubes,
4. 20 bags of salt,
5. 21 cartons of tin tomatoes (24/48),
6. 1,000 of nylon mats,
7. 1,000 pieces of towels,
8. 1,000 pieces of mosquito nets,
9. 50 cartons of bath soap,
10. 500 pieces of mattresses,
11. 500 pieces of blankets,
12. 500 pieces of brocade,
13. 500 pieces of wax prints,
14. 100 packets of diapers,
15. 100 packets of sanitary pads,
16. 100 bags of detergents.
Items given to one bereaved family
1. 20kg of Vegetable Oil
2. 12 pieces of small size mattress
3. 10 pieces of superprint cloths
4. 5 pieces of brocade
5. 10 white mosquito nets
6. 20 blue mosquito nets
7. 2 dozens of sanitary pads
8. 13 packets of Maggi seasoning
9. 14 packs of salt
10. 2 packs of baby diapers
11. 11 tins of medium size tomatoes
12. 12 packs of Sabil soap
13. 1 carton of Klin detergent
14. 12 blankets
15. 20 mats
16. 10 bags of rice (10kg)When Mrs. Jennifer Jackson, 38, a widow and mother of four accepted an invitation from a neighbour to attend the May 28, 2022 Shop-for-Free seminar of Kings Assembly Church at the Polo Club field, GRA, Port Harcourt she did not know it was an invitation to death. She and hundreds of other people who got injured or lost loved ones in the early morning tragedy did not only return empty handed without the promised food and household items, they have been left alone to bury their dead and bear the full burden of their bereavement.
More curious is the effort by the organisers of the ill-fated event, Kings Assembly Church, security agencies and government departments to sweep the entire incident under the carpet. There was also the failure of agencies in the emergency sector like the fire brigades to respond promptly to the incident, even though the federal fire service was just a few hundred metres away from the venue of the incident and the state fire service was about 20 minutes away.
Police investigations into the incident have become endless. The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Friday Eboka, had ordered a “discreet investigation” by the DCP State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID). The promise by Rivers State Government and Federal Government to probe the incident never saw the light of day. Even the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) that gave out relief materials to the victims is not willing give out the statistics of the tragedy.
The church had promised to investigate the incident and come up with its own report. But that promise was never kept as a church official told National Point that the church would rather not reopen the sad incident.
The result is that more than two months after the worst human disaster in the history of Port Harcourt occurred, there is no information as to how many people died, the identity of the dead and injured and why the victims have been abandoned to their fate by the hosts of the event that caused the stampede, the government and security agencies.
The Shop-for-Free seminar, which had become an annual event since it was initiated over ten years ago had a major component; to present foodstuffs and other household items free to participants of the programme.
Previous programmes were successful and peacefully conducted. This encouraged the church to hype that of 2022. Shop-for-Free had become a signature programme of Kings Assembly whose membership has been growing in leaps and bounds.
The Kings Assembly sourced the gift items for the programme from church members and members of the public who were moved to make donations to assist people in need, as the publicity of the Shop-for-Free programme indicated.When Mrs. Jennifer Jackson, 38, a widow and mother of four accepted an invitation from a neighbour to attend the May 28, 2022 Shop-for-Free seminar of Kings Assembly Church at the Polo Club field, GRA, Port Harcourt she did not know it was an invitation to death. She and hundreds of other people who got injured or lost loved ones in the early morning tragedy did not only return empty handed without the promised food and household items, they have been left alone to bury their dead and bear the full burden of their bereavement.When Mrs. Jennifer Jackson, 38, a widow and mother of four accepted an invitation from a neighbour to attend the May 28, 2022 Shop-for-Free seminar of Kings Assembly Church at the Polo Club field, GRA, Port Harcourt she did not know it was an invitation to death. She and hundreds of other people who got injured or lost loved ones in the early morning tragedy did not only return empty handed without the promised food and household items, they have been left alone to bury their dead and bear the full burden of their bereavement.
More curious is the effort by the organisers of the ill-fated event, Kings Assembly Church, security agencies and government departments to sweep the entire incident under the carpet. There was also the failure of agencies in the emergency sector like the fire brigades to respond promptly to the incident, even though the federal fire service was just a few hundred metres away from the venue of the incident and the state fire service was about 20 minutes away.When Mrs. Jennifer Jackson, 38, a widow and mother of four accepted an invitation from a neighbour to attend the May 28, 2022 Shop-for-Free seminar of Kings Assembly Church at the Polo Club field, GRA, Port Harcourt she did not know it was an invitation to death. She and hundreds of other people who got injured or lost loved ones in the early morning tragedy did not only return empty handed without the promised food and household items, they have been left alone to bury their dead and bear the full burden of their bereavement.
