Dozens of people have died in stampedes at charity events in Nigeria

At least 67 people, including many children, have died at three Christmas charity events in Nigeria in recent days. Euronews and Sky News reported this on Sunday, December 22.

So, at least 35 children died in a stampede in the southwestern state of Oyo on Wednesday, December 18. It is believed that the stampede at the school was caused by the fact that a local radio station offered of children to win prizes and gifts at a Christmas event organized at school, but safety is not taken care of.

“The organizers of the event have been arrested,” state governor Seyi Makinde said.

On Saturday, December 21, 22 people died in the southeastern state of Anambra in another similar Christmas event. Another 10 people died in the capital Abuja, where more than 1,000 people gathered at a church to receive clothing and food.

Some of those killed in Abuja waited all night outside a church in the cold to be the first to attend a charity event.

“Stories from witnesses and police in Abuja and Anambra indicate that a stampede took place even before the event started, as people tried to grab the first places,” the journalists pointed out.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu called on local authorities not to tolerate the “mistakes” of organizers of such events, and ordered the police to obtain prior permission before holding them.

At least 95 people have been killed and another 50 injured in a tanker truck explosion in Nigeria.

A massive stampede took place in the state of Uttar Pradesh, 200 km from the Indian capital of New Delhi.