Fourteen Die at Nigerian President Buhari's Rally, Punch Says

(Bloomberg) -- Fourteen people died in a stampede at Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s election rally in the southern city of Port Harcourt, Punch reported.

The accident occurred Tuesday as supporters of the All Progressives Congress party were leaving the stadium where Buhari, who is seeking re-election on Saturday, made a speech, the Lagos-based paper said, citing University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital spokesman Kem Daniel-Elebiga.

“President Buhari is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives and extends deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims,” according to an emailed statement from the presidency. It did not give a death toll. Another Lagos-based newspaper, Vanguard, cited the police as saying four people had died.

Last week, Buhari said people had died at one of his election rallies in the eastern state of Taraba due to overcrowding. He didn’t say how many.

The Feb. 16 vote in Africa’s biggest oil producer and most populous nation will pit Buhari, a 76-year-old former general, against businessman and ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar, 72.

To contact the reporter on this story: Elisha Bala-Gbogbo in Abuja at ebalagbogbo@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net, Sophie Mongalvy, Karl Maier

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