13 People Including Children Die in Stampedes In Nigeria At

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) – At least 13 people, consisting of 4 kids, were eliminated in two separate stampedes in Nigeria as large crowds gathered to collect food and clothing products distributed at annual Christmas occasions, the authorities said Saturday.

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

Ten individuals 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, police spokesperson Josephine Adeh said in a declaration, including that more than 1,000 individuals have been evacuated from the church.

There was a crowd rise at one of the church gates, as dozens attempted to enter the properties at around 4 a.m., hours before the gift products were to be shared, witnesses said, mentioning that some had actually been waiting since the previous night.

“The method they were rushing to go into, some people were falling and a few of them were old,” Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang said he managed to rescue one child as his mom had a hard time in the rise.

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

“The event had not even started when the rush began,” police representative Tochukwu Ikenga stated. There could be more deaths taped as officers investigate the occurrence, he said.

Viral footage that appeared to be from the Abuja scene revealed lifeless bodies lying on the ground as people shouted for assistance. A few of the injured have been treated and released while others continue to receive treatment, police said.

The church canceled the charity occasion with bags of rice and clothing items still arranged within the facilities.

As the church held a wedding after the crowd was evacuated, the misery and sadness stayed palpable even as friends and families collected for wedding pictures.

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 recent stampedes in Nigeria have raised questions about safety steps in such events. Several children were eliminated on Wednesday today when a regional foundation organized a well-attended funfair to distribute present products and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.

After the current disaster, the authorities in Abuja announced that previous authorization should be gotten before such are arranged.

The current economic 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 government ´ s economic policies that have pushed the local currency to tape-record low versus the dollar.

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has led to mass demonstrations in recent months. In August, a minimum of 20 individuals were shot dead and hundreds of others were arrested at demonstrations requiring much better chances and tasks for youths.