A 45-year-old woman and her five-year-old daughter were among eight persons who died Thursday in a stampede that occurred during a prayer service organized by the Comfort Life Mission International Church in the Ikotun area of Lagos.
Many worshippers also sustained severe injuries in the stampede.
The bodies of the yet-to-be-identified woman, her daughter, and others were deposited at the Mainland General Hospital mortuary.
A source said the pastor of the church was arrested but later granted bail on self-recognition after his statement had been obtained by the police at Ikotun.
The police said the church, is located at number 13/15 Ewenla Street, Pab Bus Stop, Ikotun and that the incident happened during its monthly crusade.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.
“The victims include a woman of about 45-year-old and a 5-year-old girl, both name and address yet unknown. They gave up the ghosts. The scene has been visited by the police while the corpses have been deposited at Mainland General Hospital mortuary, Yaba, for preservation. Investigation is in progress and further development will be communicated,” he added.
A nurse at the Delicate Hospital and Maternity Centre, where the injured members of the congregation were rushed to, also confirmed that the two persons were brought in dead.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government on Friday sealed the premises of the church, situated on 13/15 Ewenla Street, Ikotun.
This Online media gathered that the incident, which occurred on Thursday created serious panic and confusion among residents of the area.
A resident, who simply identified himself as Oladapo, stated that ”It was a very serious incident. They had just finished the first service when the incident happened.”
“The program is always on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Because of the large crowd, the church divided the sessions into three. That place cannot contain all of them at the same time.”
He also stated that ” Worshippers usually scrambled to seat at a vantage position. Those, who attended the first session were about to come out when those, who wanted to join the second session scrambled in and there was a stampede.”
When a visit was made to the church on Friday, officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Directorate of Environmental Health/ Occupational Health and Safety Services were seen sealing the venue.
The compound was deserted and a woman on the street who spoke, refusing to give out her name said the general overseer lives in Ibadan.
The woman said ”We don’t know where the pastor is. He does not live in this area. He comes from Ibadan. Some people said that he was invited by the police but that he was released that yesterday.”
