( Source : Reuters)At least 56 people have been killed in a stampede and violence following a controversial refereeing decision during a soccer match in southeast Guinea, according to a provisional government report. The deadly incident occurred at the final of a football tournament held in honor of Guinea’s military leader, Mamady Doumbouya, in the city of Nzerekore, one of the largest urban centers in the country.
The violence erupted after some fans began throwing stones, triggering panic among the crowd. As the situation escalated, many spectators scrambled to escape, resulting in a deadly crush. A video verified by Reuters showed dozens of people attempting to climb high walls to flee the chaos. The Guinea government has vowed to investigate the incident.
Authorities confirmed that many of the victims were minors caught in the turmoil, which intensified when police deployed tear gas to control the crowd. Witnesses described scenes of chaos, with some parents retrieving bodies before they were officially counted. Images and videos circulating online showed numerous bodies lying on the ground, with some victims appearing to be children.
The National Alliance for Change and Democracy, an opposition group, has pointed fingers at the military government, accusing them of organizing the tournament to gain political support for Doumbouya, who took power in a 2021 coup. The group argued that the tournament violated the transition charter, which calls for the postponement of political events until after the scheduled presidential elections. The military junta has yet to respond to these allegations.
This tragic incident highlights ongoing concerns over crowd control in Africa, where large gatherings, especially at religious or political events, have sometimes resulted in deadly stampedes. The Guinean disaster follows similar tragedies across the continent, including a fatal stampede in Nigeria at a church charity event in 2022 that killed at least 31 people.
In a separate but equally tragic event, a stampede at a charity event in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, left at least 31 people dead and dozens more injured. The incident occurred during the “Shop for Free” charity program organized by a local pentecostal church, where thousands of people had gathered to receive food. As tensions rose and some participants became impatient, they rushed to break through a gate, triggering the stampede.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident, and a spokesperson confirmed that several injured individuals are receiving treatment. However, some witnesses have suggested that the death toll could be higher than reported. The stampede occurred at the Port Harcourt Polo Club, where people had queued for hours, with some even arriving the previous day in hopes of securing food aid. In response to these recurrent tragedies, Nigerian authorities have promised to review security measures at such events to prevent further loss of life.
Both incidents underline the persistent challenges of crowd management and public safety at large gatherings in Africa, where economic pressures and rising poverty levels often lead to desperate behavior at food and aid distribution events.
