Ten people, including four children, were killed in a stampede in the Nigerian capital as a large crowd gathered to collect food distributed by a local church at a Christmas event, police said on Saturday.
The stampede occurred in the early hours of the morning at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, an upscale part of Abuja, police spokeswoman Josephine Adeh said in a statement, adding that more than 1,000 people were evacuated from the church.
Viral footage apparently from the crime scene showed lifeless bodies lying on the ground as people shouted for help.
Some of the injured have been treated and discharged, while others continue to receive medical care, Adeh said.
It is the second stampede of its kind in a week in Africa’s most populous country, as local organizations, churches and individuals increasingly organize charity events ahead of Christmas while the country is mired in its worst cost of living crisis in a generation.
Recent stampedes in Nigeria have raised questions about security measures during such events. Several children were killed earlier this week when a local foundation organized a fair to distribute gift items to children in the southwestern state of Oyo.
Following the recent disaster, the police in Abuja announced that prior approval must be obtained to organize such charity events.
The current economic woes under Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who promised “renewed hope” when he took office in May 2023, are being blamed on rising inflation, which is at a 28-year high, and the government’s economic policies local currency has soared to hit a 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 more arrested during protests demanding better opportunities and jobs for young people.
In 2022 a Crowd at a church charity event Thirty-one people died and seven were injured in southern Nigeria, police told The Associated Press. This is a shocking development in a program that aims to give hope to those in need. A witness said a pregnant woman and many children were among the dead.
