13 People Including Children Die in Stampedes In Nigeria At > 자유게시판

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - At least 13 individuals, consisting of 4 children, were killed in 2 different stampedes in Nigeria as big crowds gathered to collect food and clothing items distributed at yearly Christmas events, the cops said Saturday.

The 2 mishaps came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populous country, amidst a growing trend by local companies, churches and individuals to arrange charity drive ahead of Christmas, as the country fights with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

Ten individuals were killed in the first stampede in the early hours at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, an upmarket part of the capital, Abuja, police spokesperson Josephine Adeh stated in a statement, adding that more than 1,000 individuals have been left from the church.

There was a crowd surge at one of the church gates, as dozens attempted to go into the premises at around 4 a.m., hours before the gift products were to be shared, witnesses said, mentioning that some had actually been waiting because the previous night.

"The method they were hurrying to enter, some individuals were falling and some of them were old," Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang stated he managed to save one baby as his mom struggled in the surge.

Three people died in a comparable crush later in the southeastern Anambra state's Okija town at a fundraiser organized by a philanthropist, the state cops stated.

"The occasion had not even started when the rush began," police representative Tochukwu Ikenga stated. There might be more deaths recorded as officers investigate the incident, he stated.

Viral video footage that seemed from the Abuja scene revealed lifeless bodies lying on the ground as individuals screamed for aid. A few of the hurt have been dealt with and released while others continue to receive medical care, authorities stated.

The church canceled the charity event with bags of rice and clothes products still arranged within the premises.

As the church held a wedding after the crowd was evacuated, the misery and sadness stayed palpable even as households and buddies gathered for wedding pictures.

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu expressed his compassion with the victims' households and asked states and pertinent authorities to impose strict crowd control procedures.

The current stampedes in have actually raised concerns about security procedures in such events. Several kids were eliminated on Wednesday today when a local structure arranged a well-attended funfair to disperse present items and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.

After the most recent catastrophe, the police in Abuja announced that prior permission should be gotten before such fundraiser are organized.

The existing economic difficulty under Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who guaranteed "restored hope" when he was sworn into office in May 2023, is blamed on surging inflation that is at a 28-year high and the government ´ s financial policies that have pressed the regional currency to tape-record low against the dollar.

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has caused mass protests in current months. In August, at least 20 people were shot dead and hundreds of others were apprehended at protests demanding better chances and tasks for youths.