A tragic incident occurred on Saturday morning at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, where about 10 people are feared dead and several others injured during a stampede.
The incident took place during a food distribution event organized by the Justice, Development, and Peace Commission (JDPC), the charity organ of the Catholic Church.
According to reports, the event attracted thousands of residents, far beyond the expectations of the organizers. The stampede occurred when the overwhelming crowd struggled to obtain the food items being distributed. The distribution has been suspended following the incident, and a combined team of police, military, and DSS officers was deployed to restore order and disperse the crowd.
Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, the National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), confirmed the incident and expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives or were injured. He emphasized that the food distribution, which is ongoing in Catholic parishes across the country, was intended to provide relief to Nigerians during the Yuletide season.
Umoh attributed the incident to the desperation and hunger prevalent in the country, stating that the organizers had not anticipated such a large turnout. He mentioned that if they had foreseen the crowd size, they would have engaged Members of Order and Discipline (MOD) and the police to maintain control.
The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria has urged all parishes nationwide to implement adequate crowd control measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Umoh also highlighted a recent incident in Ibadan, noting that two such tragedies within a single week underscore the severity of hunger and desperation in Nigeria.
Umoh expressed sadness over the state of the nation, where reports of massive theft and lack of accountability are common, while citizens struggle to meet their basic needs. He emphasized that the stampede serves as a stark reminder of the real and pressing issue of hunger in the country.
The FCT Police Command spokesman, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident which happened during a Church programme to distribute food items and other palliatives to the vulnerable.
Scores were also injured during the incident that followed the pattern of a stampede that happened in Ibadan on Wednesday, leading to the death of 35 children.
In a statement Saturday the FCT Police Command confirmed the incident and urged strict adherence to event notification.
The statement reads: “The FCT Police Command deeply regrets to confirm the unfortunate incident that occurred at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, on Saturday, 21st December 2024, during the distribution of food items to vulnerable and elderly persons.
“This tragic event, which happened at about 6:30 am, led to a stampede that claimed the lives of ten individuals, including four children, and left eight others with varying degrees of injuries. Four of the injured have been treated and discharged, while the remaining victims are receiving medical care.
“The FCT Police Command sympathises with the families of the deceased and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.
As the nation mourns the lives lost in this tragic event, questions arise about the measures needed to address the underlying issues of poverty, hunger, and desperation that led to the stampede.