A stampede during a food distribution event at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, has left ten people dead, including four children, with several others injured. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command confirmed the tragic incident, which occurred early Saturday morning, December 21, 2024.
In an official statement, Superintendent Josephine Adeh, the Police Public Relations Officer for the FCT Command, disclosed that the stampede happened around 6:30 AM during an outreach program aimed at providing food items to vulnerable and elderly individuals.
“This unfortunate event claimed ten lives and left eight others injured. Four of the injured have been treated and discharged, while the rest are still receiving medical care. Over a thousand people were present at the scene,” Adeh stated.
The FCT Police Rapid Response Squad, in collaboration with the FCT Joint Task Force, managed to evacuate the massive crowd to prevent further casualties.
The Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, personally visited the injured victims in the hospital to provide reassurance and support to their families.
To prevent future occurrences, the Police Command has issued a directive mandating that all organizations, religious bodies, and individuals planning large public events within the FCT must notify the Command in advance. This will allow adequate security measures to be implemented.
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“Failure to comply with this directive will result in organizers being held accountable for any loss of life or injuries caused by negligence,” the statement warned.
The FCT Police Command extended its condolences to the families of the deceased and emphasized its commitment to ensuring public safety in the Territory.
This tragic incident follows a series of similar stampedes across the country, raising concerns about crowd control and public safety during humanitarian activities.
