ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Ten people, including four children, were killed during a stampede in Nigeria’s capital as a large crowd gathered to collect food items distributed by a local church during a Christmas event, police said Saturday.
The stampede occurred in the early hours of the morning at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, an upmarket part of Abuja, police spokesperson Josephine Adeh said in a statement, adding that more than 1,000 people had been evacuated from the church.
Viral footage that appeared to come from the scene showed lifeless bodies on the ground as people screamed for help.
Trusted news and daily treats, straight to your inbox
See for yourself: The Yodel is the source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories.
Some of the injured have been treated and evacuated, while others are still receiving medical care, Adeh said.
It is the second stampede in Africa’s most populous country in a week, as local organisations, churches and individuals increasingly organize charity events in the run-up to Christmas, amid the worst cost of living crisis in a generation.
The recent stampede in Nigeria has raised questions about security measures at 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 latest disaster, the police in Abuja announced that prior permission must be obtained before organizing such charity events.
The current economic hardship under Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who promised “renewed hope” when he was sworn in in May 2023, has been attributed to rising inflation that has reached a 28-year high and the government’s economic policies that has put pressure on the local currency. record low against the dollar.
Frustration over the cost of living has led to mass protests in recent months. In August, at least twenty people were shot dead and hundreds more arrested in protest against better opportunities and jobs for young people.
