Tragedy Strikes: Stampede During Church Relief Distribution Claims 10 Lives, Including 4 Children

Abuja (The Uttam Hindu): At least 10 people, including four children, lost their lives in a stampede during a relief distribution at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja. The incident occurred while the church was distributing food and clothing in preparation for the Christmas season. Police spokesperson Josephine Edeh confirmed that eight others were injured, with four receiving treatment and being discharged, while the others are still under medical care.

The stampede took place as a crowd of over 1,000 people gathered for the event, which was attended by more than 3,000 individuals from nearby villages and low-income areas. Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, spokesperson for the Catholic Secretariat of State for Nigeria, said the distribution of palliative care was suspended in the wake of the tragedy. Eyewitnesses reported that many attendees arrived hours before the scheduled start time, with some arriving as early as 4 am.

In a separate incident on the same day, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu confirmed a fatal stampede in Okija, Anambra state, during a rice distribution event. The tragedies in Abuja and Anambra resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries. Following the deadly incidents, President Tinubu expressed his condolences and canceled his official duties. The President also addressed the previous stampede in Ibadan, which left at least 35 dead, urging local authorities to enforce stricter crowd control measures during humanitarian events.