A tragic stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama District, Abuja, on Saturday morning claimed the lives of 10 people, including four children, and left several others injured.
The incident occurred during a palliative distribution event organized by the church to support struggling residents.
Confirming the tragedy, the National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Mike Umoh, stated, “Yes, it’s true, but the details are still sketchy.”
The Vanguard newspaper reported that chaos erupted as thousands of residents scrambled to receive relief items, leading to the fatal stampede. Over 3,000 people, primarily from nearby settlements such as Mpape and Gishiri Village, had gathered for the event.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident, explaining that the crowd began to form around 6:30 a.m. “This unfortunate event involved a crowd of about 1,000 people who had gathered to receive food items meant for the vulnerable and elderly,” she said.
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“The stampede left 10 dead and at least eight others injured, with victims suffering varying degrees of injuries,” she added l.
In a related development, a similar incident occurred in Okija, a community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State. Witnesses reported that several people lost their lives while attempting to collect bags of rice donated by a renowned entrepreneur, Ernest Obiejesi, popularly known as Obijackson.
Both events highlight the dire need for improved crowd management during palliative distribution to prevent such tragedies in the future.
