At least 10 people, including children, were feared dead, and several others sustained injuries during a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday morning.
The incident occurred as thousands of residents scrambled to receive palliatives distributed by the church.
The event, organised to provide relief to struggling residents, drew over 3,000 people, mostly from Mpape, Gishiri Village, and other nearby settlements.
The National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, confirmed the tragic development. He noted that the palliative distribution had been suspended.
“Yes it’s true. But with sketchy details,” he said.
Many attendees arrived as early as 4 a.m., hoping to secure their share of the palliatives. The stampede occurred between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., when the crowd surged forward.
Many attendees arrived as early as 4 a.m., hoping to secure their share of the palliatives. The stampede occurred between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., when the crowd surged forward.
“10 people have been reported dead, including children. We just received a call that they have passed on.
“Over 3,000 people came out to receive the palliative. It’s unfortunate.
“Most of those present were residents of Mpape, Gishiri Village, and other nearby settlements.
“May God receive the souls of the departed and protect us from harm,” the eyewitness, a mother of five, said.
In response to the chaos, a combined team of police, military, and DSS officers was deployed to restore order and disperse the crowd.
The church premises, initially filled with anxious beneficiaries, gradually cleared as security personnel enforced the suspension.
This tragedy mirrors a similar incident that occurred just days earlier in Ibadan, Oyo State, where a stampede at a children’s funfair resulted in the deaths of at least 35 children and left six others critically injured.
