At least 67 people have died in a series of deadly stampedes across Nigeria over the past week, as desperate residents scrambled to collect free food at charity events organized for the Christmas and New Year season.
The tragedies have highlighted the severe hunger crisis gripping the nation, which the government has neither fully acknowledged nor taken clear actions to address.
The most recent incident occurred on Saturday in Okija, a town in Anambra state, where 22 people lost their lives during a charity distribution of rice and vegetable oil. Police confirmed the fatalities, adding to the growing toll from similar events earlier in the week.
On the same day, a crowd crush at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, left 10 dead, including four children. One witness, Toyin Abdul Kadri, told AFP attendees “forced the gates and pushed their way inside,” overwhelming organizers.
Earlier in the week, a carnival funfair in Ibadan, Oyo state, turned tragic when 35 children were killed, and six others were seriously injured. Witnesses reported that thousands of people showed up after hearing promises of free food, overwhelming the event’s capacity.
The police have urged organizers of charity events to notify authorities beforehand to prevent further tragedies. Police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi said there was need for “a more structured and effective approach to delivering aid to vulnerable communities.”
Amnesty International Nigeria linked the deadly stampedes to worsening economic conditions, stating: “President Bola Tinubu’s government must urgently prioritize addressing widespread hunger, higher unemployment, and the rapidly falling standard of living.”
Food and transportation costs have more than tripled in the last 18 months, fuelled by the twin policies of removal of fuel and electricity subsidies, and multiple devaluation of the naira.
These economic problems have left millions struggling to afford food and basic necessities.
In a statement, President Tinubu did not acknowledge the economic cause of the problem. Instead, he blamed poor crowd management.
He expressed condolences to the victims’ families, saying, “In a season of joy and celebration, we grieve with fellow citizens mourning the painful losses of their loved ones.”
His spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said in the statement that Mr Tinubu had cancelled all official engagements to honour the victims and called on state governments and police to enforce strict crowd control measures at public events.
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