Rivers State stampede will not stop charity works, says PFN

Amechi condoles with families of victims

Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), South-South Zone, has said the body is deeply touched by the stampede that occurred last Saturday, where 31 persons died at Polo Club in Port Harcourt, Rivers State during a charity programme by one of its member’s churches in the state.

The National Vice President of PFN, South-South zone, Zilly Aggrey, in a statement, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, declared that its members would not be deterred from reaching out to God’s people, stressing that it is the mandate of the Church to touch lives, particularly those in need.

He said good works and acts of charity, which had been on for four years, had alleviated the pains and sufferings of many families in the state.

“Members of PFN should not be discouraged in offering assistance and positively touching the lives of the less privileged.

He commiserated with families of those that lost their loved ones in the stampede hours before the actual commencement of the event.

The statement reads: “The Body of Christ shares in this pain, most especially, the National President of PFN, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, who has expressed his deepest condolences. Our prayers and thoughts are with these families, that our Lord Jesus Christ will give them peace and strength to stand stronger in times like this.”

The National Vice President, PFN, South-South Zone, in the statement, appreciated efforts by the Rivers State PFN Chairman and overseer of King’s Assembly since the incident and prayed for strength for the leadership of Kings Assembly to carry on.

MEANWHILE, former Minister of Transportation and presidential aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress, Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed sadness over the stampede.

Amaechi, in a statement by his media office, condoled with the victims of the incident, saying: “It is so sad and heart-wrenching that the good deed of the church turned sour following the ugly incident.

“It is high time, logistics and appropriate crowd control measures are seriously taken into consideration in the planning and execution of any event, not just in Rivers State, but the whole of Nigeria, to forestall such sad occurrences.

“I sympathise with the families of the dead and pray for quick recovery of the injured. I also empathise with the church, the King’s Assembly, the government and the people of Rivers State. May God grant them all the strength to overcome this.”