The incident occurred during an event organized by Obijackson to distribute Christmas rice to the community, intended to spread yuletide cheer. Instead, it turned into a devastating scene, with eyewitnesses alleging that as many as 36 people lost their lives in the chaos.

This heartbreaking incident comes just days after a similar tragedy in Ibadan, where a stampede during a children's event left 35 young lives tragically cut short.

The Okija stampede highlights the dire need for better crowd control measures at events aimed at aiding communities, especially during the festive season when such initiatives are most common. Efforts to confirm the exact number of casualties and provide support to affected families are ongoing.

Stay tuned for updates as more details emerge about this heartbreaking incident.