No fewer than 31 persons were feared dead in a Pentecostal church, Kings Assembly in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Saturday morning during the church’s free gifts and food items distribution.

A mammoth crowd was said to have stormed Polo Club in the state capital, the venue of the items’ distribution, leading to a stampede.

It was gathered that 31 persons died in the stampede while many others were hospitalised.

The people were said to have died after they attempted to push through a small entrance.

Confirming the incident, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, said 31 persons died in the stampede.

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He stated: “31 persons died. It was a stampede because a church was trying to give out palliatives.

“They were about to start the event at about 9am but some persons went there and broke into the place and went inside.

“So people started rushing in and there was a stampede.

“From the information we have, the church was trying to gift items and food to assist the underprivileged,” the police spokesperson said.

Iringe-Koko added that investigation has commenced to ascertain the causes of the incident.

The Star