The Police in Aba, Abia State, have confirmed the death of a four-year-old boy after an all-night prayer in a church on Saturday morning.
The police, who did not give the name of the deceased, also confirmed that 15 other persons were choked during the event.
A group called the “Young People’s Christian Fellowship, Ututu, Arochukwu’’, were reportedly made unconscious by fumes from a generating set used for the all-night prayer meeting.
The police Area Commander, Aba, ACP Peter Wabara, made this known to newsmen in Aba. “We got a phone call this morning that some persons were allegedly lying dead in a church at 8 Eziukwu road by Milverton Avenue, Aba.
“So I mobilised my men and called in some doctor friends since the government doctors were on strike and they accompanied us to the scene of the event.
“There we looked through the glass door and found them lying unconscious in a scattered manner. Fortunately, some of them were breathing; so we moved them to two hospitals,” he said.
Wabara said that 11 of the worshippers were evacuated to Austin-Graces Hospital on Okigwe road, while four of them were moved to Goodness and Mercy Hospital on Faulks road, Aba.
According to the commander, before leaving the scene, the rescue team searched the church environment and found a generating set that had exhausted its fuel and quenched, but was still hot.