ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - At least 13 people, consisting of 4 kids, were eliminated in 2 separate stampedes in Nigeria as big crowds collected to gather food and clothing items dispersed at annual Christmas events, the police said Saturday.

The 2 mishaps came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populated nation, in the middle of a growing pattern by local organizations, churches and people to organize charity events ahead of Christmas, as the country deals 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, police representative Josephine Adeh said in a statement, including that more than 1,000 individuals have actually been evacuated from the church.

There was a crowd surge at one of the church gates, as dozens attempted to get in the properties at around 4 a.m., hours before the present items were to be shared, witnesses stated, mentioning that some had been waiting since the previous night.

"The way they were rushing to enter, some people were falling and some of them were old," Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang stated he managed to rescue one infant as his mom had a hard time in the surge.

Three people died in a similar crush later in the southeastern Anambra state's Okija town at a charity drive organized by a benefactor, the state cops stated.
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"The event had actually not even begun when the rush started," police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga stated. There might be more deaths tape-recorded as officers investigate the incident, he stated.
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Viral video that seemed from the Abuja scene showed lifeless bodies lying on the ground as people screamed for help. A few of the hurt have actually been treated and released while others continue to get medical care, police stated.

The church canceled the charity occasion with bags of rice and clothing items still organized within the properties.

As the church held a wedding after the crowd was left, the agony and unhappiness stayed palpable even as friends and for wedding event photos.

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu expressed his compassion with the victims' families and asked states and pertinent authorities to enforce strict crowd control measures.

The recent stampedes in Nigeria have actually raised concerns about precaution in such events. Several kids were eliminated on Wednesday this week when a regional foundation organized a well-attended funfair to disperse gift items and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.
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After the newest catastrophe, the police in Abuja revealed that prior authorization needs to be gotten before such charity drive are arranged.

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

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has actually caused mass protests in current months. In August, at least 20 individuals were shot dead and numerous others were arrested at demonstrations requiring much better opportunities and tasks for young people.