Two separate stampedes during rice distribution events led to multiple fatalities in Abuja and Anambra State on Saturday morning.
In Abuja, a charity event at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the upscale Maitama area turned deadly. The church, known for its annual palliative distributions to the less fortunate, was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people seeking aid.
According to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, the stampede occurred around 6:30 a.m., claiming ten lives, including four children. Eight others sustained injuries, four of whom have since been discharged after receiving treatment.
SP Josephine Adeh, spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, stated: “This tragic event… led to a stampede that claimed the lives of ten (10) individuals, including four (4) children, and left eight (8) others with varying degrees of injuries.”
She emphasized that future public events must notify authorities in advance to ensure proper security arrangements.
In a similar tragedy, 17 residents of Okija community in Anambra State lost their lives during another rice distribution event. Details remain sparse, but the incident underscores the dangers of overcrowding during poorly managed public gatherings.
These devastating stampedes follow another incident in Ibadan, Oyo State, where 40 children died during a funfair earlier this week.
