NAIROBI, Kenya-Tragedy struck at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday night as a stampede during Nigerian singer Asake’s concert left at least one woman dead and dozens more injured.
Police said the incident occurred as fans waited to enter the stadium. Despite the chaos, the concert continued.
Eyewitnesses told Y News that the stampede happened at one of the gates leading into the venue. Long delays and poor communication appeared to fuel frustration among the crowd.
Fans reportedly arrived as early as 6 pm, but the gates remained closed even as heavy rain fell.
“The crowd had grown impatient, and no one explained why the gate was not opening,” another witness who spoke to Y News said.
The situation quickly escalated.
“Some people pushed the gate open and rushed inside, and many were trampled in the process,” the witness added.
Kenyans attending Asake’s concert last night at Nyayo Stadium complained about long waiting hours before entering the venue. Some said they arrived at 6 PM but were only allowed in by 10 PM, despite the heavy rains in Nairobi.
Police confirmed a woman was pronounced dead upon arrival at a nearby hospital. Several others were rushed to different hospitals and are reported to be in stable condition.
Nairobi police chief George Seda said a team visited the scene on Sunday as part of ongoing investigations. The victim’s body has been taken to the mortuary pending an autopsy.
Asake, born Ahmed Ololade, is a Nigerian singer, rapper, and songwriter.
He performed hits including “Lonely At The Top,” “Remember,” “PBUY,” and “MMS” alongside Wizkid during the concert, which drew a large crowd despite heavy downpours.
Fans lit up their phones and sang along, while the artist tried to gift a fan his diamond chain from the stage.
Police noted that three major events were taking place across the city Saturday night — at Carnivore Grounds, Nyayo Stadium, and Uhuru Gardens.
The other two events reportedly proceeded without incident, though authorities admitted resources were stretched.
More security personnel have been deployed ahead of upcoming events to prevent similar tragedies.
The ticketing system crashed at Nyayo Stadium yesterday during the Asake show, forcing Kenyans who had waited in line for more than three hours to break in.
