Children, Others Die in Abuja Stampede, Details Emerge

• Abuja residents woke up to a fresh tragedy as seven children and three adults allegedly died in a stampede while struggling for palliative
• The Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, began distributing palliatives to the local community, but the turnout was far greater than anticipated
• Eyewitnesses described the event as tragic and chaotic, adding that people started arriving at the venue as early as 4 am

FCT, Abuja - On the morning of Saturday, December 21, a tragic event occurred in the Nigerian capital, resulting in the deaths of 10 people. The stampede occurred at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja.

Thousands of residents from the Federal Capital Territory gathered at the church in the morning to receive palliatives. The crowd, estimated to be over 3,000 people from nearby settlements, had gathered in hopes of receiving relief meant to support the struggling community.

Eyewitnesses speak on Abuja stampede

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According to eyewitnesses, the scene was both tragic and chaotic. Many attendees had arrived as early as 4 am to secure their place for the palliative distribution. The stampede occurred between 7 am and 8 am when the crowd surged uncontrollably. Witnesses reported that seven of the deceased were children.

The National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, confirmed the tragic development and announced the suspension of the palliative distribution. A combined team of police, military, and DSS officers was deployed to restore order and disperse the crowd.

This tragedy bears a striking resemblance to 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 recurring occurrence of stampedes at events meant to provide aid or entertainment raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of crowd control and the adequacy of safety measures.

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Ibadan stampede: Video of scene after incident

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Oyo state and Nigerians at large are still feeling sober about the stampede that occurred at the state capital, with at least 32 children's deaths recorded.

A video of the scene after the incident emerged, showing the road leading to the venue littered with children's shoes, caps, and clothes.

Proofreading by James, Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng