13 People Including Children Die in Stampedes In Nigeria At

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) – At least 13 people, including 4 children, were killed in two separate stampedes in Nigeria as big crowds collected to collect food and clothes products distributed at annual Christmas events, the police said Saturday.

The 2 mishaps came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populated country, amidst a growing trend by regional organizations, churches and people to organize fundraiser ahead of Christmas, as the nation has problem with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

Ten people were eliminated 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 said in a statement, adding that more than 1,000 people have actually been left from the church.

There was a crowd rise at one of the church gates, as lots tried to get in the premises at around 4 a.m., hours before the gift items were to be shared, witnesses said, mentioning that some had actually been waiting since the previous night.

“The method they were hurrying to go into, some individuals were falling and a few of them were old,” Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang stated he handled to rescue one baby as his mom had a hard time in the surge.

Three individuals died in a comparable crush later on in the southeastern Anambra state’s Okija town at a fundraiser organized by a philanthropist, the state cops said.

“The event had actually not even begun when the rush started,” authorities spokesman Tochukwu Ikenga stated. There could be more deaths tape-recorded as officers investigate the event, he stated.

Viral video that appeared to be from the Abuja scene revealed lifeless bodies resting on the ground as people screamed for aid. Some of the hurt have actually been treated and released while others continue to receive healthcare, police said.

The church canceled the charity drive with bags of rice and clothing products still set up within the facilities.

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

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu expressed his sympathy with the victims’ families and asked states and pertinent authorities to impose strict crowd control procedures.

The current stampedes in Nigeria have actually raised concerns about safety measures in such events. Several kids were eliminated on Wednesday this week when a regional structure arranged a well-attended funfair to disperse present products and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.

After the most recent disaster, the police in Abuja revealed that prior approval needs to be obtained before such charity drive are arranged.

The current economic hardship under Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who guaranteed “restored 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 regional currency to tape low versus the dollar.

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