The death toll from stampedes during two separate Christmas charity events in Nigeria has increased to 32, including at least four children, according to police reports on Sunday.
The tragic incidents occurred as large crowds gathered to collect food and clothing in the wake of the country’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.
In Anambra state’s Okija town, 22 people were killed during a food distribution organized by a philanthropist, while 10 others died in a similar event in the capital, Abuja, hosted by a church.
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Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as crowds rushed to collect handouts. One witness in Abuja recounted, “They opened the gate this morning, everybody just rushed in, then some people fell, and they started marching on people. They marched on them till they died.”
Tunji Disu, head of the Intelligence Response Team in Abuja, added, “We discovered that a lot of people were trampled upon. It took a lot of effort to move them immediately to the hospital.”
The stampedes occurred just days after a similar tragedy at a holiday funfair in Ibadan, where dozens of children were killed in a crush.
Local organizers had promised cash handouts and food, but the tragic events have raised concerns about the safety of such events in a country facing severe economic hardship.
As a result, there have been growing calls for authorities to enforce stricter safety protocols for charity events. Nigerian police have also mandated that event organizers seek official permission before holding such gatherings.
These incidents highlight a disturbing trend of overcrowded charity events in Nigeria, where increasing numbers of local organizations, churches, and individuals are organizing charity drives to help ease the financial burden on citizens ahead of the Christmas season.
