It was Easter tragedy. Christians and sympathisers were thrown into mourning in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, as no fewer than eight people, among them two children, were feared dead in a retreat organised by a high profile church.
The incident was said to have occurred at the church’s Camp site located at Eyenkorin on the outskirts of the state capital in the early hours of Good Friday.
Further checks showed that the incident was as a result of rainstorm which caused a pillar at the camp to collapse and fell on the worshippers.
In another tragedy, a pastor with the church, who had gone to donate blood for the victims, was also killed.
The pastor, who was riding n a motorcycle, was said to have run into an oncoming vehicle. He died on the way to the hospital.
Storm had accompanied the rainfall in Ilorin.
The rain, which lasted for about two hours, began at about 12.30 a.m.
Contacted, the state police command spokesman, Dabo Ezekiel, only confirmed the death of the pastor and claimed that several others only suffered injuries.
Sources at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital confirmed that three of the victims were brought in dead (BID) along with one woman and two children.
According to the source, “three of the victims were brought in dead apart from the two children and a woman who were in critical conditions.” Two others died while receiving treatment, one of them inside the theatre, added the source .
Also,a family source to one of the victims claimed, in a telephone chat, said the casualty figure rose to seven, yesterday afternoon, taking the death toll to five adults and two children.
The source lamented the fate of the pastor who had rallied round to help the injured.
Meanwhile, no pastor from the church was available to comment at the time of filing this report as journalists were referred to one Wing Commander Cindar(rtd), said to be the Chief Security Officer of the Camp.
Confirmed the incident but denied that any life was lost. He claimed that the victims were recuperating at the hospital.
