Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has extended his condolences to the families affected by the tragic incident that occurred during the Catholic feast procession at Christ the King Cathedral, Aba, which reportedly claimed five lives and left several others injured.
The tragedy is believed to have resulted from overcrowding, as security personnel allegedly locked the church gates, leading to a stampede.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Governor expressed deep sorrow over the incident. He praised the prompt actions taken by the Church leadership and the government’s emergency team to provide medical care to the injured.
“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,” the statement read.
Governor Otti assured the public of his administration’s commitment to collaborating with the Church to prevent such incidents in the future. He also pledged to work with the Church to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the tragedy.
“We will ensure that measures are put in place to avert a recurrence of this type of mishap. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” Otti added.
The Governor prayed for the peaceful repose of the departed souls and reaffirmed his dedication to improving safety measures for public gatherings across the state.