Three days after a stampede in Ibadan claimed 36 lives, similar tragic incidents in Abuja and Anambra State have left several dead, including children, during the distribution of Christmas palliatives.
At least 10 people, including children, lost their lives, and many others were injured yesterday during a food distribution event organized by the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja. The incident occurred as over 3,000 people, mostly from Mpape, Gishiri, and nearby settlements, scrambled for palliatives.
Witnesses reported that the stampede broke out between 7:00 am and 8:00 am, as the crowd surged forward to receive food items. An eyewitness described the scene as “chaotic and tragic,” adding that many attendees had arrived as early as 4:00 am.
Rev. Fr. Mike Umoh, National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, confirmed the incident, stating that the palliative distribution had been suspended indefinitely.
A combined team of police, military, and DSS personnel was deployed to restore order and disperse the crowd.
In a separate incident in Okija, Anambra State, a palliative distribution event organized by a philanthropist, popularly known as Obijason, turned deadly. Eyewitnesses reported that a massive crowd gathered to receive Christmas rice, leading to a stampede that left scores dead and many injured.
Viral videos showed bodies, including pregnant women, being transported to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala. Witnesses claimed the death toll could exceed 100.
One eyewitness described the tragedy in Igbo: “People went to collect Obijason rice and were stampeded to death. There are a lot of dead bodies, including women and pregnant women.”
The tragedies have drawn widespread condemnation and sympathy. President Bola Tinubu cancelled all official events in Lagos, including the 2024 Lagos Boat Regatta, in honour of the victims. In a statement, Tinubu called for strict crowd control measures to prevent future occurrences and expressed condolences to the affected families.
Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, attributed the incidents to systemic failures and worsening economic conditions. “The desperate quest for survival in these harsh economic times has driven our people to extremes,” he said.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered investigations into the incidents in Oyo, Abuja, and Anambra, urging event organizers to ensure proper security arrangements to prevent such tragedies.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) blamed worsening hunger for the recurring stampedes. CISLAC Executive Director, Auwal Rafsanjani, criticized the government for failing to address the rising levels of poverty and hunger, stating that these tragedies highlight the detachment of policymakers from the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.
