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ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - A minimum of 13 people, consisting of 4 kids, were killed in two different stampedes in Nigeria as large crowds collected to collect food and clothing products dispersed at yearly Christmas occasions, the authorities said Saturday.
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The two mishaps came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populated country, amid a growing trend by regional companies, churches and people to arrange charity drive ahead of Christmas, as the nation has problem with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

Ten people were eliminated in the very first stampede in the early hours at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, an upmarket part of the capital, Abuja, police spokesperson Josephine Adeh stated in a declaration, adding that more than 1,000 individuals have been evacuated from the church.

There was a at one of the church gates, as dozens tried to go into the premises at around 4 a.m., hours before the gift products were to be shared, witnesses said, pointing out that some had actually been waiting since the previous night.

"The way they were hurrying to go into, some individuals were falling and some of them were old," Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang said he handled to rescue one child as his mother had a hard time in the surge.

Three people passed away in a similar crush later in the southeastern Anambra state's Okija town at a charity occasion arranged by a benefactor, the state cops stated.

"The occasion had actually not even started when the rush began," cops spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga said. There could be more deaths taped as officers examine the incident, he stated.

Viral video that appeared to be from the Abuja scene showed lifeless bodies resting on the ground as individuals screamed for aid. A few of the hurt have been dealt with and discharged while others continue to get medical care, police said.

The church canceled the charity event with bags of rice and clothes items still organized within the premises.

As the church held a wedding after the crowd was left, the misery and sadness remained palpable even as friends and families gathered for wedding event images.

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu revealed his compassion with the victims' households and asked states and pertinent authorities to implement rigorous crowd control measures.

The recent stampedes in Nigeria have raised concerns about precaution in such occasions. Several children were eliminated on Wednesday today when a regional foundation organized a well-attended funfair to disperse gift products and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.

After the current disaster, the police in Abuja revealed that prior consent must be acquired before such charity events are arranged.

The existing economic difficulty under Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who assured "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 federal government ´ s economic policies that have actually pushed the regional currency to tape low versus the dollar.

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has led to mass protests in recent months. In August, at least 20 individuals were shot dead and hundreds of others were jailed at demonstrations requiring much better opportunities and tasks for young people.
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