CITIZENS COMPASS–Another stampede occurred on weekend which claimed the lives of many children in Abuja.
The incident occurred barely three days after many children lost their lives to a stampede during a Christmas funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Abuja stampede occurred at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama.
About 10 children were said to have lost their lives.whikr many others were injured.
It occurred during a palliative distribution organised by the church to support struggling families in the community.
The event, which drew a massive crowd of over 3,000 people, including residents from Mpape, Gishiri Village, and nearby areas, quickly spiraled out of control between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM. Witnesses say the overwhelming surge of people vying for relief items such as food led to chaos, with the crowd overpowering the distribution process lead to the stampede.
A mother of five who witnessed the tragedy described the scene as heartbreaking.
“Ten people, including children, have been reported dead. Some of them arrived as early as 4:00 AM to queue for the palliatives. It’s devastating. May God receive their souls and protect the rest of us from such harm,” she said.
The National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, confirmed the incident.
“It’s true, though details are still sketchy,” he said, adding that the church has suspended the palliative distribution indefinitely.
Security forces, including the police, military, and Department of State Services (DSS), were deployed to the scene to restore order and disperse the crowd. Their efforts ensured the calm evacuation of attendees, ending what was intended to be a day of charity in tragedy.
This heartbreaking incident follows a similar stampede just days earlier in Ibadan, Oyo State, where 35 children lost their lives and several others were critically injured during a funfair at Islamic High School in Bashorun. That event, which also drew an overwhelming crowd, turned deadly when attendees rushed for food and gifts.
As Nigerians mourn these tragic losses, questions are being raised about the safety measures at large public gatherings, particularly during the festive season.
