Tragic! Abuja church, Anambra community lose 27 lives in Christmas rice stampedes
Tragedy struck in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Anambra State as stampedes during Christmas rice distribution events claimed 10 and 17 lives respectively.
In Abuja, the incident occurred on Saturday morning at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, where Christmas rice and other palliatives were being distributed. The annual charity event, aimed at supporting the less privileged, turned tragic as a stampede left ten people dead, including four children, and eight others injured.
The FCT Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement issued by SP Josephine Adeh, its Public Relations Officer. The statement read:
“This unfortunate event, which took place at around 6:30 am, resulted in the loss of ten lives, including four children, and left eight others injured. Four of the injured have been treated and discharged, while the remaining victims are receiving medical care.
“To prevent similar occurrences, the Command directs that all organizations, religious bodies, or individuals planning public events or charitable activities in the FCT must notify the Police in advance for adequate security arrangements. Non-compliance will result in organizers being held accountable for any incidents or loss of life due to negligence.
“The FCT Police Command remains committed to safeguarding lives and property in the Territory. The public is encouraged to cooperate with the Police by adhering to these guidelines and reporting emergencies via the FCT Control Room at 0803 200 3913 or 0806 032 1234.”
In a related incident, 17 people lost their lives in a stampede in Okija, Anambra State, during another rice distribution event on the same day.
These tragic events follow a similar incident in Ibadan, Oyo State, where about 40 children died in a stampede during a funfair.
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