Six people were killed Wednesday in a stampede at a military recruitment event in Ghana’s capital, Accra, after crowds of job seekers broke through security barriers, the military said.

The military said the stampede was "triggered by an unexpected surge of applicants who breached security protocols" and arrived at the stadium where recruitment was taking place before the slated time. Many others were injured and transported to a military hospital.

Recruitments for security agencies often attract large crowds of young people seeking employment in a country grappling with high youth unemployment.

The once-promising economy of the West African nation collapsed under the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inflation hit a 21-year high of more than 50% in 2022 before cooling to 8% in October 2025 after an economic reform backed by the IMF. Nearly 39% of youth are unemployed, according to government data.