At least 13 children killed in stampede at charity event in Nigeria
At least 13 people, including four children, were killed in two separate stampedes in Nigeria as large crowds gathered to collect food and clothing items distributed at annual Christmas events, police said on Saturday.
Both accidents came days after another similar stampede in Africa’s most populous country, amid a growing trend by local organisations, churches and individuals to organize charity events ahead of Christmas as the country faces its worst crisis in quality of life in a generation. -Is facing livelihood crisis. ,
Ten people were killed in the early morning stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, a posh area of the capital Abuja, police spokeswoman Josephine Adeh said in a statement, adding that more than 1,000 people had been evacuated. church.
Witnesses said a crowd had swelled at one of the church’s gates as dozens of people tried to enter the premises around 4 a.m. local time, hours before the gift items were to be shared. Some of the crowd had been waiting since last night.
“The way they were running to enter, some people were falling and some of them were falling old,” said Loveth Inyang, an eyewitness. Inyang said he managed to save a child as his mother struggled in the flood.
The crush starts even before the event starts
Three people were later killed in a similar crush at a charity event organized by a philanthropist in Okija town in south-eastern Anambra state, state police said.
“The event had not even started when the crowd started,” police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga said. He said more deaths could be recorded as authorities investigate the incident.
Viral footage of what appears to be the Abuja scene showed lifeless bodies lying on the ground and people screaming for help. Police said some of the injured have been treated and released, while others are undergoing medical care.
The church canceled the charity event because bags of rice and clothes were still stored on the premises.
The church held a wedding ceremony after the crowd cleared away, but the pain and sadness were still evident as family and friends gathered for wedding photos.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed his sympathies to the families of the victims and asked states and relevant authorities to enforce strict crowd control measures.
Disasters lead to change
The recent stampede in Nigeria has raised questions about security measures at such events. Several children were killed on Wednesday when a local foundation organized a fair to distribute gift items and food to children in southwestern Oyo state.
Following the latest disaster, police in Abuja announced that permission must be obtained before holding such charity events.
The current economic difficulty under the leadership of President Tinubu, who promised “renewed hope” when he takes the oath of office in May 2023, has been blamed on rising inflation, which is at a 28-year high, and the government’s economic policies that have hampered local economic growth. The currency has been pushed. Record low against the dollar.
Frustration over the cost of living crisis has led to mass protests in recent months. In August, at least 20 people were shot dead and hundreds of others arrested in protests demanding better opportunities and jobs for youth.