13 People Including Children Die in Stampedes In Nigeria At

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) – A minimum of 13 individuals, including four kids, were killed in 2 different stampedes in Nigeria as large crowds gathered to collect food and clothing products distributed at yearly Christmas events, the police stated Saturday.

The 2 mishaps came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populated country, in the middle of a growing trend by regional organizations, churches and individuals to arrange charity drive ahead of Christmas, as the nation deals with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

Ten individuals were killed in the first stampede in the early hours at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, an upmarket part of the capital, Abuja, police spokesman Josephine Adeh said in a statement, including that more than 1,000 people have actually been evacuated from the church.

There was a crowd surge at one of the church gates, as dozens attempted to go into the at around 4 a.m., hours before the present items were to be shared, witnesses said, mentioning that some had been waiting because the previous night.

“The way they were rushing to enter, some people were falling and some of them were old,” Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang said he handled to save one child as his mom struggled in the rise.

Three people passed away in a comparable crush later in the southeastern Anambra state’s Okija town at a charity event arranged by a philanthropist, the state police stated.

“The occasion had not even started when the rush began,” police representative Tochukwu Ikenga stated. There might be more deaths recorded as officers investigate the incident, he stated.

Viral footage that seemed from the Abuja scene revealed lifeless bodies pushing the ground as people yelled for aid. Some of the hurt have been treated and released while others continue to receive treatment, cops said.

The church canceled the charity occasion with bags of rice and clothes products still organized within the premises.

As the church held a wedding after the crowd was left, the pain and sadness stayed palpable even as families and buddies collected for wedding images.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu revealed his compassion with the victims’ families and asked states and pertinent authorities to impose stringent crowd control measures.

The recent stampedes in Nigeria have raised concerns about precaution in such events. Several children were killed on Wednesday this week when a regional foundation organized a well-attended funfair to distribute gift products and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.

After the most recent disaster, the authorities in Abuja revealed that previous approval needs to be acquired before such charity events are organized.

The current financial difficulty under Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who guaranteed “renewed hope” when he was sworn into office in May 2023, is blamed on surging inflation that is at a 28-year high and the federal government ´ s economic policies that have pushed the local currency to tape low against the dollar.

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has resulted in mass protests in recent months. In August, at least 20 individuals were shot dead and numerous others were apprehended at demonstrations requiring better opportunities and jobs for young people.