ABUJA: At least 10 people have died, and many others were injured in a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday morning. The incident occurred during a food distribution event for vulnerable and elderly individuals.

According to a statement from the Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, the stampede took place around 6:30 am, resulting in the tragic deaths of 10 individuals, including four children. Also: eight people sustained varying degrees of injuries.

While four of the injured have been treated and discharged, the remaining victims are receiving medical care. The FCT Police Rapid Response Squad and the FCT Joint Task Force successfully evacuated the remaining crowd, which had exceeded 1,000 people.

The FCT Police Command expressed its condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a swift recovery to the injured. In a show of compassion, Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, visited the victims in the hospital to offer support and reassurance during this difficult time.

Read also:

To prevent such incidents in the future, the police have mandated that all organizations, religious bodies, groups, or individuals planning public events, charitable activities, or large gatherings in the FCT must notify the police in advance.

This measure is critical for the deployment of adequate security to ensure public safety and avoid tragedies. Failure to comply will result in organizers being held accountable for any incidents or loss of life due to negligence.

This incident follows a similar tragedy in Ibadan, Oyo State, where a stampede at a children’s funfair claimed the lives of at least 35 children and left six others critically injured.