KEY POINTS
- Six job seekers died in the recruitment stampede.
- Ghana Armed Forces launched a probe into the incident.
- Most victims were young female applicants.
A stampede during the Ghana Armed Forces’ 2025/2026 recruitment screening at El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra on Wednesday killed six job seekers and injured several others.
According to the Armed Forces, the incident occurred around 6:20 a.m. when an unexpected surge of applicants breached security barriers and forced their way through the gates before the scheduled screening began.
Military hospital treating injured applicants
The injured were taken to the 37 Military Hospital, where medical teams are working to stabilise their condition. The Ghana Armed Forces extended condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, acting Director General of Public Relations, said the agency has launched an investigation into the recruitment stampede and will release the findings once it concludes.
Sources within the top military command said that most of the deceased were young female job seekers. Witnesses said military police conducted the screening but opened only one side of the double metal gate, creating a bottleneck as the crowd pushed forward.
Several victims reportedly fractured bones and hurt their necks before dying. Security forces later restored order, and the Ghana Armed Forces promised to change how they recruit new members to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
