In a devastating weekend that underscores Nigeria's deepening economic crisis, at least 39 people lost their lives in two separate stampedes during food distribution events.
The tragic incidents occurred Saturday morning in the capital city of Abuja and the southern town of Okija, Anambra State, just days after another deadly stampede claimed 35 children's lives at a school funfair in Ibadan.
In Abuja's Maitama district, 10 people, including at least four children, died and eight others were injured during an annual charity event at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church. The tragedy unfolded around 6 am as desperate residents from distant areas like Mararaba, Nyanya, and Mpape gathered for food distribution.
"Initially, everyone was orderly, but as the day broke, the number of people doubled," recalled John, an eyewitness. "In their desperation to get the rice first, people began pushing and shoving. Before we knew it, we started hearing cries for help from those who had fallen or sustained injuries."
The situation in Okija proved even more catastrophic, with 29 people reported dead at the Obijackson Centre in Amanranta. The stampede occurred around 7:45 am as crowds gathered to receive palliatives including 25kg bags of rice, vegetable oil, and cash gifts from the Obijackson Foundation's annual Christmas distribution.
Eyewitnesses described heart-wrenching scenes, including a mother who died with her baby strapped to her back. While the child survived, the incident epitomized the desperate conditions driving people to risk their lives for basic necessities. "The cause of this is poverty and the high cost of rice," one witness observed. "If it were not so, this unfortunate incident would not have happened."
Reverend Father Mike Umoh, National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, noted that while such charitable distributions have been routine for years, the unprecedented turnout reflects the nation's deteriorating economic situation. "This sad event should be a signal to other organizers to be more careful and implement better crowd control measures," he stated.
These tragic events, occurring just days before Christmas, cast a somber shadow over the holiday season while highlighting the desperate circumstances facing many Nigerians amid rising food prices and economic hardship. As communities mourn their losses, calls grow louder for more regulated and secure methods of distributing aid to those in need.
