Student dies during Jesus crucifixion re-enactment as audience think it's part of show

Those watching the Passion of the Christ play at a university in Nigeria reportedly thought it was a “joke” and part of the performance before realising it was serious

The man collapsed during a re-enactment of the crucifixion ( Image: Getty Images)

A student has died during a re-enactment of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, which the audience reportedly thought was part of the performance.

The unnamed undergraduate at Clariantian University of Nigeria in Nekede fell down during the Passion of the Christ performance, according to Nigerian newspaper Vanguard.

The tragedy is said to have happened on Good Friday and people watching the play first thought it was a “joke” and part of the performance.

But the student began bleeding after falling and people realised it was not a jest and he was taken to hospital.

The Daily Star reports a source at the newspaper said: “At the time the incident occurred everybody came together and rushed the deceased to a school hospital and later, when the case became worse, he was taken to a nearly Federal Medical Center, FMC.

Jesus Christ’s injuries are well documented in religious texts with nails said to have been hammered through his hands and feet.

The Bible says he was speared by a Roman soldier and collapsed while being made to carry the cross, but there are theories his cause of death arose from a separate injury.