Police in Rivers has launched inquest into the stampede at Adokiye Amesiemeka Stadium, Port Harcourt, during All Progressives Congress (APC) rally on Tuesday even as  death toll has risen to 15. Sources at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) said toll has risen to 15 since Tuesday.

But spokesman of the command, Mr Nnamdi Omoni, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that four people died in the stampede.

“As a command, we will investigate the cause of the stampede. We are hearing different versions as to the cause of the incident.

“At the end of our investigation, we will write our report and any person or group of persons responsible for it will be sanctioned,” he said.

NAN recalls that no fewer than 11 persons were reported to have died at the same Adokiye Amesiemeka Stadium in 2015, during a People Democratic Party (PDP) presidential rally.

On Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections, Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said 15,000 personnel out of the 16,000 in the command would be deployed to the 23 local government areas of the state elections.

According to him, three policemen are expected to be at a pulling unit during the elections.