Governor Alex Otti has expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the Catholic faithful following the tragic events during the Christ the King Procession at CKC Aba on November 24, 2024. He assured that his administration would collaborate with the Church to prevent such incidents in the future.
In a statement released by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, the Governor praised the Church leadership and the government team for their proactive actions in providing medical care to the victims.
The statement reads, “The Abia State Government received with sorrow and sadness the news of the death of some Catholic faithful during the annual Eucharistic Procession held at Christ the King Catholic Church, Aba, on Sunday, November 24, 2024.
Governor Alex Otti is deeply pained by this unfortunate development and sends his condolences to the families of the deceased and the Church at large. He commended the government team and the Church leadership for their prompt response in providing medical support for the victims.
The Governor promised that the emergency team of the government would work with the Church leadership to investigate both the immediate and remote causes of the stampede to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again.
He prayed for the peaceful repose of the souls of the departed while wishing a quick recovery for those affected.
During the Eucharistic procession on Sunday, a stampede occurred at the entrance of the venue, resulting in the deaths of many Catholic faithful.
Bishop Augustine Ndubueze Echema of the Aba Diocese, while consoling the victims and their families, assured that such an incident would not happen again. He encouraged the Catholic faithful not to be discouraged by the tragedy and prayed for God’s comfort for all those affected.
