A stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday morning has left at least ten people dead and many others injured, according to eyewitnesses.
The tragic incident occurred during a palliative distribution event organized by the church to support struggling residents from nearby communities, including Mpape and Gishiri Village.
Eyewitnesses reported that the stampede happened between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. when a large crowd surged forward to collect the relief items.
“The crowd was uncontrollable. Everyone was desperate to get something, and that’s when the chaos began,” said one eyewitness, who chose to remain anonymous.
Residents described the situation as overwhelming, with people scrambling and pushing to secure their share of the palliatives.
“The organizers tried their best to maintain order, but the crowd just became too much,” another witness added.
Efforts to reach Nkechi Isa, the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Emergency Management Department, were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
This incident comes just days after a similar tragedy 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 two back-to-back incidents have raised concerns about the safety of large gatherings and the need for better crowd management at events.
Residents of Maitama and neighboring areas expressed shock and grief over the incident.
“It’s heartbreaking. These palliatives were meant to help people, but instead, it has led to loss of lives. We need to find better ways to organize these kinds of events to avoid such tragedies in the future,” said a local community leader.
Also Read:
- Stampede at Ibadan Funfair Claims Lives of 32 Children
- Police Arrest N0torious B@ndit and Car Snatchers in Kaduna
Some residents called on authorities to investigate the cause of the stampede and ensure better crowd control measures at future events.
Many Nigerians are now urging religious organizations and government agencies to collaborate on improving the distribution of relief materials.
“We understand that people are desperate, but we can’t allow things like this to keep happening,” said a resident of Mpape.
This incident has also reignited discussions about poverty and the rising demand for palliatives in the country.
“People wouldn’t risk their lives like this if they weren’t desperate,” another eyewitness noted.