13 People Including Children Die in Stampedes In Nigeria At

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) – A minimum of 13 people, consisting of four children, were killed in 2 different stampedes in Nigeria as large crowds collected to collect food and distributed at annual Christmas occasions, the authorities said Saturday.

The 2 accidents came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populated country, amidst a growing trend by local organizations, churches and individuals to organize charity events ahead of Christmas, as the country deals with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

Ten people 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, authorities spokesperson Josephine Adeh stated in a declaration, adding that more than 1,000 people have been evacuated from the church.

There was a crowd surge at one of the church gates, as lots tried to get in the properties at around 4 a.m., hours before the present items were to be shared, witnesses said, pointing out that some had been waiting since the previous night.

“The way they were hurrying to get in, some people were falling and some of them were old,” Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang said he managed to rescue one baby as his mother struggled in the rise.

Three people died in a comparable crush later on in the southeastern Anambra state’s Okija town at a charity drive organized by a philanthropist, the state authorities said.

“The event had actually not even begun when the rush began,” police representative Tochukwu Ikenga said. There might be more deaths recorded as officers investigate the event, he said.

Viral footage that appeared to be from the Abuja scene revealed lifeless bodies lying on the ground as individuals screamed for aid. A few of the hurt have actually been dealt with and released while others continue to receive healthcare, cops said.

The church canceled the fundraiser with bags of rice and clothing products still set up within the premises.

As the church held a wedding after the crowd was evacuated, the pain and sadness remained palpable even as friends and families collected for wedding event images.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu expressed his compassion with the victims’ households and asked states and appropriate authorities to implement strict crowd control procedures.

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

After the current catastrophe, the authorities in Abuja revealed that prior authorization should be gotten before such charity drive are arranged.

The existing financial hardship 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 government ´ s economic policies that have pressed the regional currency to tape-record low against the dollar.

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has led to mass protests in current months. In August, a minimum of 20 individuals were shot dead and numerous others were jailed at protests requiring better opportunities and tasks for youths.