Stampedes during food distribution kill at least 30 in Nigeria

LAGOS, Nigeria

Stampedes during food distribution at two venues killed at least 30 people in Nigeria on Saturday, officials said.

While 20 were killed in the town of Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state; 10 others died at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama area of capital Abuja.

The food distribution drives were individual and private institutions' efforts to ease economic hardship ahead of Christmas celebrations.

The victims and the injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, according to rescue sources.

Confirming the development in Anambra, Charles Aburime, the spokesperson to the state's governor, said the government would update the press after an investigation.

Similarly, Abuja police spokesperson Josephine Adeh confirmed that 10 bodies - four children and six adults - had been recovered. “FCT Police Rapid Response Squad and the FCT Joint Task Force have successfully evacuated the remaining crowd, which numbered over a thousand,” she added.

The two incidents come days after 35 children died during a stampede at a carnival in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria.

LAGOS, Nigeria

Stampedes during food distribution at two venues killed at least 30 people in Nigeria on Saturday, officials said.

While 20 were killed in the town of Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state; 10 others died at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama area of capital Abuja.

The food distribution drives were individual and private institutions' efforts to ease economic hardship ahead of Christmas celebrations.

The victims and the injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, according to rescue sources.

Confirming the development in Anambra, Charles Aburime, the spokesperson to the state's governor, said the government would update the press after an investigation.

The two incidents come days after 35 children died during a stampede at a carnival in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria.