At least ten people lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries following a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday morning.
The tragic event occurred during a palliative distribution organized by the church to provide relief materials to struggling residents of 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 distributed items. The chaotic scene resulted in people falling and being trampled as panic ensued.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department, Mrs. Nkechi Isa, for comments on the incident have so far been unsuccessful.
This devastating occurrence comes just days after a similar tragedy in Ibadan, Oyo State, where at least 35 children lost their lives, and six others were critically injured during a stampede at a children’s funfair.
The Abuja community has been left in shock and mourning, with residents expressing deep sadness over the incident.
Many are now calling for improved crowd management measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
