By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Several people have been confirmed dead in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, during a gathering where thousands of residents converged to receive relief materials, including food items, ahead of the Christmas celebration.
The charity outreach was organised by Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Maitama District of Abuja, where the tragic incident occurred on Saturday.
Several Nigerian families struggle to meet basic needs, especially food, as over 70% of the 220 million population live in abject poverty due to an economic downturn that has worsened over the past two years.
The economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration have been blamed for the rising poverty rate in the West African nation, which relies heavily on food imports.
Upon assuming office in May 2023, Tinubu announced that “subsidy is gone,” referring to the removal of petrol subsidies. This decision triggered a wave of inflation in a mono-economy where oil serves as the primary revenue source.
Hunger has been further exacerbated by the displacement of citizens from their original habitats due to security threats from Islamic jihadists and bandits, especially in the northern region.
The tragic incident on Saturday occurred when chaos broke out as the crowd scrambled to receive relief items, leading to a deadly crush.
Over 3,000 people, including children primarily from nearby settlements such as Mpape and Gishiri Village, had gathered for the event before the unfortunate incident.
The National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Mike Umoh, confirmed the incident.
“Yes, it’s true, but the details are sketchy,” he said in a brief statement.
This tragedy coincided with another stampede in Okija, Anambra State, South-East Nigeria, where several residents lost their lives.
A crowd, largely women, had gathered on Saturday to receive free bags of rice distributed by one Obijackson when the unfortunate incident occurred.
Earlier, on Wednesday, a stampede at the Islamic High School in Bashorun, Ibadan, South-West Nigeria, during a children’s Christmas party, resulted in the deaths of 35 children.
The party was organised by Agidigbo 88.7 FM, Ibadan, led by Oriyomi Hamzat, in collaboration with Queen Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi, the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, a prominent traditional ruler in the South-West region.
