Twenty dead, among them 5 children as believers jostle for anointing oil in Tanzania

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20 people among them five children are reported to have died following a stampede at a church service held in a stadium in Tanzania.

The incident which happened on Saturday evening also left tens injured with no official figure given by the authorities. Witnesses recounted that the stampede happened after many believers who had attended the church service rushed forward to get holy anointing oil.

"Apostle Boniface Mwamposa poured sacred anointing oil on the ground in the hope of curing people with illnesses. Dozens of people immediately fell being jostled and trampled, and some died. We have counted 20 people killed but there are others who have been wounded. It was horrible, people trampled on mercilessly, jostling each other with elbows," said a witness.

The church service was been led by Pastor Boniface Mwamposa of Arise and Shine Ministry in Tanzania.