12 Die in El-Wak Stadium Stampede During Military Recruitment
A tragic stampede at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra yesterday claimed the lives of twelve people and left several others injured during the Ghana Armed Forces’ (GAF) 2025/2026 recruitment exercise.
According to a statement issued by the Ghana Armed Forces, the incident occurred around 6:20 a.m. when an unexpected surge of applicants broke through security barriers and forced their way into the stadium ahead of the scheduled screening.
The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the 37 Military Hospital morgue, while the injured are receiving emergency treatment at the facility. Military and police personnel swiftly cordoned off the area and blocked all major roads leading to the stadium to maintain order and facilitate rescue operations.
The GAF, in a statement signed by Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, Acting Director General of Public Relations, expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery. The statement also assured the public that investigations have commenced to determine the cause of the tragedy.
Sources within the military command revealed to MyJoyOnline that most of the victims were young female job seekers who sustained severe injuries, including broken necks, legs, and arms, before succumbing to death.
Further reports indicate that military police were deployed to oversee the exercise, but only one side of a double metal gate was opened to admit the thousands of anxious applicants. The restriction reportedly caused intense pushing and shoving, leading to the fatal stampede.
Authorities have pledged to review safety protocols for future recruitment exercises to prevent a recurrence of such a disaster.
