In a heart-wrenching incident, Uchenna Nwaudo lost his wife during a stampede at a charity event in Okija, Anambra State, on Saturday, December 21. The event, which was organized for Christmas rice distribution at the Obijackson Centre in the Amanranta area, turned tragic as chaos erupted, leading to the death of 22 people and injuries to several others.
Nwaudo, a grieving husband from Umuohi village in Okija, recounted his loss during an interview. He revealed that he had advised his wife not to attend the event, urging her to stay home and care for their sick baby. Tragically, his warning went unheeded.
“On the fateful day, I had warned my wife not to go to the rice-sharing venue because of our little baby who was not feeling fine,” Nwaudo shared. “But when I got there, to my surprise, I met her lifeless body and my baby still strapped on her back while everywhere was rowdy and everybody was scampering to safety.”
Despite the chaos, Nwaudo managed to retrieve his baby, who was miraculously unharmed, from his wife’s back and left the scene. He lamented the loss of his wife and noted that her belongings, including her handbag and his mobile phone, were missing amid the disorder.
The Anambra State Police Command confirmed the tragic incident, reporting that 22 lives were lost in the stampede. According to Tochukwu Ikenga, the police spokesperson, the stampede occurred as a result of overcrowding and poor crowd control at the event.
The victims of the tragedy included women, children, and the elderly, who had gathered in large numbers at the venue. Efforts are underway to investigate the circumstances that led to the stampede, with authorities calling for better safety measures at future public events.
The Okija community is left in mourning as families come to terms with the loss of loved ones. Nwaudo’s story resonates deeply, highlighting the devastating impact of inadequate planning and management at large gatherings.
This incident serves as a tragic reminder of the importance of proper crowd control and safety measures at charity events, especially those attracting vulnerable groups such as women and children.
As the families of the victims grieve, the focus now turns to ensuring that such preventable tragedies do not occur in the future, with calls for stricter regulations and oversight of public events.