Tragedy struck yesterday morning, as a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, claimed the lives of 10 individuals, including four children, and left several others injured.
It was gathered that the incident occurred during the distribution of palliatives by the church to vulnerable and elderly residents of nearby communities, including Mpape and Gishiri villages in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It was learnt that the stampede broke out as thousands of residents scrambled to access the food items, leading to chaos and the unfortunate loss of lives.
The FCT Police Command, in an issued statement by its spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the fatalities and revealed that eight other individuals sustained injuries.
Josephine noted that four of the injured victims have since been treated and discharged, while the remaining are receiving medical attention. However, the FCT Police expressed their condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Spokesperson for the FCT Emergency Management Department, Mrs. Nkechi Isa, was yet to respond to inquiries regarding the incident as of the time of this report.
Recall that the incident came just days after a similar tragedy occurred in Ibadan, Oyo State, where at least 35 children died, and six others were critically injured during a stampede at a childrens funfair. Residents have expressed shock and sadness over the incident in Abuja, with many calling for better crowd control measures at public events.
In a related development, no fewer than 27 people were feared dead following a stampede in Okija, Ihiala LGA of Anambra State. According to reports, the tragic incident occurred during a Christmas rice distribution event organised by a local foundation to aid the less-privileged.
The annual charity event, spearheaded by philanthropist and Chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Ernest Obiejesi, known as Obijackson, turned deadly due to the overwhelming crowd.
It was gathered that the wounded were rushed to the local hospital, while the bodies of the deceased were taken to the morgue. It was also gathered that the incident also affected the state government, as one aide to Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo reportedly lost two relatives in the stampede.
The State Police Command’s Public Relations officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, could not be reached for comment, however, a senior police officer confirmed the incident.
