ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - A minimum of 13 people, consisting of four children, were eliminated in two different stampedes in Nigeria as large crowds collected to collect food and clothes items distributed at annual Christmas occasions, the authorities said Saturday.

The 2 accidents came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populated nation, in the middle of a growing trend by regional organizations, churches and people to organize fundraiser ahead of Christmas, as the country battles with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

Ten individuals were killed in the first stampede in the early hours at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, an upmarket part of the capital, Abuja, cops spokesperson Josephine Adeh stated in a declaration, including that more than 1,000 individuals have been evacuated from the church.

There was a crowd rise at one of the church gates, as lots attempted to enter the facilities at around 4 a.m., hours before the gift products were to be shared, witnesses said, mentioning that some had been waiting considering that the previous night.

"The method they were hurrying to enter, some individuals were falling and some of them were old," Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang stated he handled to save one infant as his mother had a hard time in the surge.
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Three individuals died in a similar crush later in the southeastern Anambra state's Okija town at a by a benefactor, the state cops said.

"The occasion had not even begun when the rush began," authorities spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga stated. There might be more deaths recorded as officers examine the occurrence, he said.

Viral footage that seemed from the Abuja scene showed lifeless bodies resting on the ground as people screamed for aid. Some of the injured have been dealt with and discharged while others continue to receive treatment, police said.

The church canceled the charity drive with bags of rice and clothes items still set up within the premises.
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As the church held a marriage ceremony after the crowd was left, the pain and unhappiness stayed palpable even as friends and families gathered for wedding event photos.

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu expressed his compassion with the victims' households and asked states and relevant authorities to implement stringent crowd control procedures.

The current stampedes in Nigeria have actually raised questions about precaution in such occasions. Several children were killed on Wednesday this week when a regional structure organized a well-attended funfair to distribute gift products and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.
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After the most recent disaster, the police in Abuja announced that prior consent needs to be gotten before such fundraiser are organized.

The current financial challenge under Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who assured "restored hope" when he was sworn into office in May 2023, is blamed on surging inflation that is at a 28-year high and the government ´ s economic policies that have actually pushed the local currency to tape-record low against the dollar.

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has actually led to mass demonstrations in current months. In August, a minimum of 20 people were shot dead and numerous others were jailed at demonstrations demanding better chances and jobs for young people.