Two persons dead, many fainted as Port Harcourt residents rush for Christmas food items

At least two persons have reportedly feared dead and many fainted in a stampede that occurred on Tuesday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday at the Rumudara/Tank of the East/West road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area as customers of an online marketing firm, Inksnation besieged the company for the food items.

Hundreds of customers, who registered with the company, gathered at its office with the hope of shopping for items with the money in their electronic wallet.

The situation turned worse when the crowd increased and struggled to enter the premises and the firm could not control the people who turned out.

Following the stampede from the huge crowd, many fainted while two others were reported dead.

Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident.

The Police spokesman said the incident happened in an office belonging to PinkCoin Inksnation.

It was gathered that some residents of the state who had registered with the online business venture had gone to the office to redeem their Christmas palliatives before the stampede occurred.

Earlier, unconfirmed reports had claimed that eight people died in the incident, while many other people sustained various degrees of injuries.

Omoni said: ‘I can confirm the incident of this morning, at an Event Centre, along the Rumuodara axis of the East/West Road, Obio/Akpor LGA, where palliatives were being distributed by INKSNATION, a Non-Governmental Organisation, to her registered members from Ikwerre, Emohua and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, when suddenly there was a stampede leading to the death of two people, while some sustained various degrees of injuries and are currently receiving medical attention.’

Omoni noted that the situation has been brought under control, adding that the Commissioner of Police in State, CP Joseph Mukan, has ordered an investigation into the incidence.

He added that an investigation have been launched into the incident and those found culpable will face the law.

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