UMUAHIA-Two persons have died while many others were injured following an overflow of worshippers during a procession at the Christ the King Catholic, CKC, Church, Aba, Abia state.

The procession, titled, ‘Christ the King Sunday”, is celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church on the last Sunday of the liturgical year, as a feast to mark Jesus Christ’s messianic kingship and sovereign rule over all creation.

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It was gathered that the procession organized by the Catholic Diocese of Aba, saw the urban parishes within the city throng the CKC premises along Asa Road.

The procession recorded a mammoth crowd which overflew into the gate area.

However, trouble ensued during the event when two aged women slumped inside the premises and were rushed to a nearby hospital around, where they died.

It was gathered that the two aged women who are of the Holy Cross Parish Aba, may have suffered from suffocation because of overflowing crowd.

Many children who also slumped at the CKC during the procession, were rushed to a nearby private hospital.

A catholic faithful, Modestus Kalu, stated that the Catholic Diocese of Aba have been having the issues of people slumping during procession but that the Sunday experience was the first time people died.

He urged the catholic Diocese of Aba to find a way to decongest the population of faithful attending the “Christ The King Procession’ to avert future occurrences.

He urged that the Bishop of Aba Catholic Diocese to instruct all parishes to concentrate their procession in their own parishes without coming to the CKC where the cases of mammoth crowd are often recorded.

He said; “The crowd overflowed. The environment and the atmosphere were extremely unfriendly. Many people have serious health conditions. The Catholic Church, as one of the most advanced churches, should have known better and prepare for such happenings.

“Nobody should mock the church over this incident, but nobody also deserves to die such an avoidable death. I pray to God to grant their soul eternal rest and give their family the fortitude to bear this loss.”

Another eyewitness also stated that the parish priest at Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Nwala street off Faulks road Aba, had warned the parishioners that those who are not healthy shouldnt join the procession.

“Our parish priest made it clear to us that there is nothing special about going to CKC for the procession except seeing the Bishop physically. No one forced anyone to attend anything.

“The crowd was much, but nobody should claim that there is no breathing space because we stayed in an open environment and not inside a suffocating hall.

“There was enough room for oxygen for everyone. Death can happen anytime, anywhere.”

Another resident who gave his name as David Onyeka alleged, he heard that aside from the recorded deaths, that over 30 people collapsed during the procession.

“What I don’t understand, and I have been wondering, what is the Christian or spiritual importance of that procession yesterday? What impact does that procession add to the people? Is it for fun or for what?”

Efforts to speak to the Bishop of Aba Catholic Diocese, Prof Augustine Echema ,was not successful, as the security men at the CKC gate, told Vanguard that he was not on seat.