Tragedy struck Nigeria as 67 people lost their lives in stampedes during free food distribution events organized to celebrate Christmas. Most of the victims were young children.
In Oyo State, 35 children died in a stampede as people scrambled to receive food. Similarly, 22 people lost their lives in a separate food distribution event in Anambra State. In the capital city of Abuja, 10 others died when a crowd of over 1,000 gathered outside a church to collect food and clothing donated by well-wishers.
A mother who was present at the Abuja event shared her experience on Arise TV, describing the dire situation:
“There is hunger in Nigeria. Every Nigerian is looking for food.”
The stampedes highlight the severe food insecurity in the country. Experts attribute the issue to a sharp decline in the value of the Nigerian naira, which has dropped by 36% over the past 28 years. Currently, over 63% of Nigeria’s 210 million citizens live in poverty.
In Abuja, chaos erupted even before the food distribution began, forcing the church to cancel the event and store the bags of rice and clothing intended for donation.
According to AfricaNews, incidents like these are frequent during charity events due to the lack of proper security measures. Organizers often overlook crowd control, leading to tragic outcomes when large numbers of desperate people gather for food and aid.
This devastating series of events underscores the urgent need for more robust planning and safety protocols in humanitarian efforts, especially in a country grappling with widespread poverty and hunger.
