Church Christmas gifts stampede in Nigeria’s capital leaves over 10 adult, children dead
*Spate of Christmas gifts stampede blamed on bad governance-inflicted economic hardship, extreme poverty, hunger
By KEMI KASUMU, OUR REPORTER, Abuja with Agencies
In a country where it is now a case of one day with its one drama attached, many have blamed the new development of Christmas or funfare gifts distribution stampede on bad governance that has led to economic hardship, extreme hunger and never-seen-before poverty level that the nation has witnessed since coming of new government on May 29, 2023.
No fewer than 10 people, including children, were killed in a stampede during a Christmas gifts distribution at a local church in the Maitama District of Abuja, the Nigerian capital, on Saturday, The DEFENDER gathered.
A church official said that an unspecified number of individuals were also injured when the distribution of relief items, including food and clothing ahead of Christmas celebrations, turned chaotic Saturday morning at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama.
Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, spokesperson for the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, said the event attracted more than 3,000 people from nearby villages and low-income suburbs. Following the “tragic incident,” the “palliative distribution” was suspended, he said.
According to witnesses, at least seven women and children were among the victims recovered from the scene. Many attendees had reportedly arrived as early as 4:00 a.m. local time, despite the event being scheduled to start between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Saturday.
In the aftermath of the stampede, security operatives, including secret police and military personnel, were deployed to restore order, disperse the crowd, and secure the area.
The DEFENDER reports that neither the government that is Nyesom Wike-led Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) nor security agencies have yet commented on the tragedy.
The Spokesperson of FCT Police Command, DSP Josephine Adeh, specifically asked via he WhatsApp contact to give her Command’s reaction, was yet to send in her response as at the time of filing this report Saturday afternoon.
This global online newspaper recalls that only on Wednesday December 18, 2024 in Ibadan, Oyo State capital in the country’s South West region, 35 children were killed with several others injured as similar occurrence hit another Christmas gifts distribution at a funfare organised by former Queen of the Ooni of Ife, Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi.
In a country where it is now a case of one day with its one drama attached, many have blamed the new development of Christmas or funfare gifts distribution stampede on bad governance that has led to economic hardship, extreme hunger and never-seen-before poverty level that the nation has witnessed since coming of new government on May 29, 2023.
