In a tragic turn of events, 13 individuals, including four minors, lost their lives in two distinct stampedes in Nigeria. These incidents occurred as large gatherings assembled to receive food and clothing items distributed during annual Christmas events, according to police reports on Saturday. These unfortunate events follow a similar incident in the country, which is the most populous in Africa. The trend of local organizations, churches, and individuals organizing charity events ahead of Christmas has been on the rise, as the nation grapples with its most severe cost-of-living crisis in decades.
The first stampede, which claimed ten lives, occurred in the early morning at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, a high-end area of the capital, Abuja. Police spokesperson Josephine Adeh confirmed the incident in a statement, noting that over 1,000 people were evacuated from the church premises. Witnesses reported a surge in the crowd at one of the church gates around 4 a.m., hours before the gifts were to be distributed. Some individuals had been waiting since the previous night, leading to a chaotic rush to enter the premises.
Loveth Inyang, a witness at the scene, described the frantic scene, noting that some of the victims were elderly. Inyang managed to rescue a baby whose mother was caught in the crowd surge.
In a separate incident, three individuals lost their lives in a similar stampede in the southeastern town of Okija in Anambra state. The incident occurred at a charity event organized by a philanthropist. State police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga stated that the rush began even before the event had officially started. He also indicated that the death toll could rise as investigations into the incident continue.
Footage from the scene in Abuja showed lifeless bodies on the ground as people called for help. Some of the injured have been treated and discharged, while others continue to receive medical attention. The church canceled the charity event, leaving bags of rice and clothing items undistributed within the premises. Despite a wedding ceremony taking place after the crowd was evacuated, the atmosphere remained somber.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and urged states and relevant authorities to enforce strict crowd control measures. The recent stampedes have raised concerns about safety measures at such events. Earlier this week, several children lost their lives at a funfair organized by a local foundation in southwestern Oyo state. Following these incidents, Abuja police announced that organizers must obtain prior permission for such charity events.
The current economic hardship in Nigeria, under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has been attributed to soaring inflation, which is at a 28-year high, and government economic policies that have devalued the local currency against the dollar. This economic crisis has sparked mass protests in recent months, with at least 20 people shot dead and hundreds arrested at protests demanding better opportunities and jobs for young people in August.