Six dead in stampede at El-Wak Stadium during GAF recruitment

At least six people have been confirmed dead following a stampede at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, during a nationwide Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise.

Eyewitnesses say the tragedy occurred when thousands of anxious applicants, desperate to secure a spot in the ongoing enlistment process, rushed toward the entrance gates after they were opened at dawn. The intense pushing and chaos that ensued led to multiple injuries and fatalities.

Security and medical teams from the 37 Military Hospital responded swiftly, transporting the injured to the emergency ward while the deceased were sent to the hospital’s morgue. Sources confirmed that the death toll could rise as several others remain in critical condition.

Military police and security officers have since cordoned off the stadium, blocking major access routes to maintain order and ensure rescue operations continued smoothly.

The incident happened amid an extension of the ongoing GAF recruitment exercise, which had been prolonged by one week due to technical difficulties experienced on the recruitment portal. The exercise, initially set to end on October 31, 2025, has witnessed record numbers of applicants nationwide.

In a statement signed by Colonel Evelyn Ntiamoah Asamoah, Acting Director General of Public Relations, the Ghana Armed Forces explained that the extension aimed to accommodate all qualified applicants who were unable to complete their applications earlier.

“The Ghana Armed Forces has extended the deadline for the ongoing recruitment exercise by one week due to some technical challenges encountered on the recruitment portal during the initial period,” the statement noted.

Although the GAF is yet to officially comment on the stampede, early reports point to poor crowd control and the massive turnout as key factors behind the tragedy.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of young men and women had gathered at the El-Wak Stadium as part of the documentation and physical screening phase of the 2025/2026 recruitment exercise. The program is expected to recruit about 12,000 personnel into the Army, Navy, and Air Force over the next three years.

According to eyewitnesses, many applicants arrived as early as 2 a.m., forming long queues around the stadium. By dawn, the crowd had grown uncontrollable.

“People started pushing when the gates were opened. Some fell, others couldn’t get up, and everyone just panicked,” an eyewitness recounted.

The body selection process—one of the most competitive stages of the recruitment—requires applicants to undergo physical checks and verify documents such as educational and birth certificates. Although similar exercises were taking place in all 16 regions, the Accra centre recorded the largest turnout.

Authorities are expected to launch a full-scale investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the stampede.