ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The death toll from stampedes at two Christmas charity events in Nigeria has risen from 13 to 32, police said Sunday. The victims, including at least four children, collapsed during the massive influx as people scrambled for food as the country grapples with its worst cost of living crisis in a generation.
The dead included 22 people in the town of Okija in southeastern Anambra state, where a philanthropist organized a food distribution on Saturday, local police spokesman Tochukwu Ikenga said. Ten others died in the capital Abuja during a similar charity event organized by the church.
Police said they were investigating the two incidents, just days after another stampede that left several children dead.
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Africa’s most populous country is seeing a growing trend among local organizations, churches and individuals to organize charity events before Christmas to ease economic problems caused by a cost of living crisis.
Witnesses to the stampede in Abuja told The Associated Press that there was a large crowd at one of the church gates as dozens of people tried to enter the premises around 4am, hours before gift items were to be shared.
Some of them, including the elderly, waited overnight for food, said Loveth Inyang, who rescued a baby from the crowds.
The stampede led to growing calls for authorities to enforce safety measures at such events. The Nigerian Police also mandated the organizers to obtain prior permission.
