Two persons were feared dead and 20 others injured in a stampede at the entrance of Akwa Ibom International Stadium on Friday during its inauguration yesterday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it was difficult to control the crowd at the grand opening of the Akwa Ibom stadium despite road blocks that were erected some kilometers from the event center. Although the spectators .
Confirming the incident, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Emem Bassey, told NAN that two
unconscious persons were taken to an undisclosed hospital.
“I was told that two persons have been taken to the hospital; these are perhaps people who were fighting at the gate in their bid to enter the stadium,” Dr. Bassey said.He said that the third unconscious person, a woman, was revived in the stadium and had started talking.
“It should be expected; this is the first time this is happening, everybody is excited, everybody wants to enter the stadium. We have 150 medical personnel in this place and eight ambulances. All our medical teams are up and doing and all the clinics are manned,” Mr. Bassey said. According to NAN the security operatives were using horse whips and tear gas for crowd control at the check points.
When the state Commissioner of Police, Isaac Achong was contacted, he said, “there was no stampede, there was only crowd control. We are only controlling the crowd entering the stadium.”
When told that journalists at the stadium reported a stampede, he said, “I’m not aware” and terminated the call.
The opening of the ceremony was marked by an international friendly between the home-based senior national team of Nigeria, Super Eagles B, and the U-23 National Team of Ghana, the Black Meteors.
“It is possible football fans were scrambling to enter the stadium to watch the match. That’s what I heard,” an Uyo resident, who said he was on his way to the facility, said.
The event had the President of Ghana, John Mahama and the Ivorian Head of State, Alassane Ouattara in attendance.
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