At least 32 people died in crowds at two charity events in Nigeria, according to police.
About 22 people were killed in an event held on Saturday (21) at a community center in Okija, in the southeastern state of Anambra, state police said on Sunday (22).
The event was held to distribute bags of rice to women in need, state broadcaster Radio Nigeria reported. Hundreds of people showed up to receive the rice, according to the broadcaster, leading to crowds gathering as people reached forward to try to reach the products.
The victims of the crush include “women, elderly people, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children”, highlighted Christian Aburime, press secretary to the Anambra state governor, in a statement.
The event was hosted by the Obi Jackson Foundation of Eastern Nigeria with “the noble intention of sharing relief materials with less privileged members of the community during this festive season”, Aburime added.
“However, the resulting tragedy highlights the urgent need for a more structured and safe approach to distributing such assistance,” he continued.
On the same day as the tragedy in Anambra, ten people, including four children, were killed in a crowd in Maitama, a district of Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
The case occurred at a food distribution event held at a local church, police said in a statement on Sunday. More than a thousand people attended the scene, according to the statement.
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, called the situation a “devastating blow to our community” and said he mourned the dead with “deep shock and sadness”.
President of Nigeria cancels appointment after trampling
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has canceled his participation in a boat race in Lagos following the tragedies on Saturday, his special adviser said in a statement.
“Commiserating with the victims of the unfortunate incidents in Anambra and the Federal Capital Territory, President Tinubu urged states and relevant authorities to immediately implement strict crowd control measures,” Bayo Onanuga pointed out.
“In a time of joy and celebration, we mourn with fellow citizens who mourn the painful losses of their loved ones,” Tinubu stressed, according to the statement.
This comes days after another riot left 35 children dead in the country.
This content was originally published in Number of deaths in crowds in Nigeria rises to 32 on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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