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ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - At least 13 people, including 4 children, were killed in two different stampedes in Nigeria as big crowds gathered to collect food and clothes items distributed at yearly Christmas occasions, the authorities stated Saturday.
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The two accidents came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populated country, amid a growing trend by local organizations, churches and individuals to organize fundraiser ahead of Christmas, as the country has problem with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.
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Ten people were killed in the very first stampede in the early hours at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, an upmarket part of the capital, Abuja, authorities spokesperson Josephine Adeh said in a statement, including that more than 1,000 individuals have been left from the church.
There was a crowd rise at one of the church gates, as dozens tried to go into the premises at around 4 a.m., hours before the gift items were to be shared, witnesses stated, mentioning that some had been waiting considering that the previous night.
"The method they were hurrying to get in, some people were falling and a few of them were old," Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang said he managed to save one baby as his mom struggled in the rise.
Three individuals passed away in a comparable crush later in the southeastern Anambra state's Okija town at a charity drive organized by a philanthropist, the state authorities said.
"The occasion had actually not even started when the rush started," authorities spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga stated. There could be more deaths tape-recorded as officers examine the incident, he stated.
Viral video footage that seemed from the Abuja scene revealed lifeless bodies lying on the ground as individuals screamed for aid. Some of the hurt have actually been dealt with and discharged while others continue to receive healthcare, cops said.
The church canceled the fundraiser with bags of rice and clothes products still arranged within the facilities.
As the church held a wedding after the crowd was evacuated, the misery and sadness remained palpable even as friends and families gathered for wedding event pictures.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu expressed his compassion with the victims' households and asked states and relevant authorities to enforce rigorous crowd control procedures.
The recent stampedes in Nigeria have actually raised concerns about safety measures in such events. Several kids were killed on Wednesday today when a local structure organized a well-attended funfair to disperse gift items and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.
After the current catastrophe, the authorities in Abuja announced that previous authorization should be acquired before such charity occasions are organized.
The current economic under Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who promised "renewed hope" when he was sworn into workplace in May 2023, is blamed on surging inflation that is at a 28-year high and the government ´ s economic policies that have actually pushed the regional currency to record low against the dollar.
Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has actually led to mass demonstrations in recent months. In August, a minimum of 20 individuals were shot dead and hundreds of others were jailed at demonstrations demanding much better chances and tasks for young people.