The Acting Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, SP Grace Iringe-Koko has confirmed that 31 persons died during a stampede at the venue of an outreach programme.
According to the police, the programme was organized by a new generation church in Port Harcourt on Saturday morning.
He stated that the church is located in the GRA area of Port Harcourt, but the event was held at the Port Harcourt Polo Club, a bigger facility to accommodate the anticipated crowd.
The church, known as Kings Assembly, was said to have invited members of the public to partake in the event where gift items and food were promised to be shared with congregants.
“It is 31 persons that died. It was a stampede because a church was trying to give out palliatives.
“They were about to start the event by 9 am or so. But some people went there and broke into the place and went inside.
“From the information we have, the church was trying to gift items and food to assist the underprivileged,” the PPRO said. The police spokesperson added that an investigation has begun to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the incident.