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Three days after no fewer than 36 persons died in a stampede in Ibadan, Oyo State, many, including children, have died in similar incidents in Abuja and Anambra State while struggling for Christmas palliatives.
The twin incidents, which happened, yesterday, left the nation shocked given that they came on the heels of the Oyo incident.
More than 10 people lost their lives and several others were injured during the distribution of food items by Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja.
No fewer than 17 people died in a stampede during rice distribution in Anambra today. Also, about 10 fatalities were recorded in Abuja where palliatives were being distributed.
Eyewitnesses described the scenes as chaotic and tragic. One said at least seven of the deceased in the Abuja tragedy were children.
Anambra
In Anambra, 17 people were confirmed dead and several others sustained injuries at Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area, following a stampede during the distribution of Christmas rice by officials of Obijackson Foundation.
The Foundation has been distributing such gifts annually for many years and people in the entire Ihiala local government and other neighbouring communities always looked forward to it.
According to eyewitnesses, the victims, mostly women and youths, had stationed themselves at the facility as early as 5 a.m. on Saturday, waiting for the distribution to begin at dawn.
The eyewitness said that the crowd became uncontrollable when the distribution began, leading to the stampede.
The dead bodies, and those who sustained injuries, were rushed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala.
In a viral video, dead bodies, including pregnant women, littered the vicinity of the hospital’s mortuary.
The video also showed chaotic scenes of people rushing to escape, with some trying to revive those who fell unconscious.
The state police command is yet to confirm the incident, but many relatives of the victims were seen sobbing uncontrollably.
In Abuja…
At least 10 people, including children, are feared dead, and several others sustained injuries during a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday morning.
The incident occurred as thousands of residents scrambled to receive palliatives distributed by the church.
The event, organised to provide relief to struggling residents, drew over 3,000 people, mostly from Mpape, Gishiri Village, and other nearby settlements.
The National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, confirmed the tragic development.
He noted that the palliative distribution had been suspended.
“Yes it’s true. But with sketchy details,” he said.
Many attendees arrived as early as 4 a.m., hoping to secure their share of the palliatives. The stampede occurred between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., when the crowd surged forward.
“10 people have been reported dead, including children. We just received a call that they have passed on.
“Over 3,000 people came out to receive the palliative. It’s unfortunate.
“Most of those present were residents of Mpape, Gishiri Village, and other nearby settlements.
“May God receive the souls of the departed and protect us from harm,” the eyewitness, a mother of five, said.
Police, DSS, solodiers step in
In response to the chaos, a combined team of police, military, and DSS officers was deployed to restore order and disperse the crowd.
The church premises, initially filled with anxious beneficiaries, gradually cleared as security personnel enforced the suspension.
This tragedy mirrors a similar incident that occurred just days earlier in Ibadan, Oyo State, where a stampede at a children’s funfair resulted in the deaths of at least 35 children and left six others critically injured.
The event, held at the Islamic High School in Bashorun, Ibadan, attracted over 5,000 children and turned fatal when attendees rushed to receive food and gifts distributed by the organizers.
