Youngsters among 31 killed at church truthful stampede in Nigeria

ABUJA, Nigeria -- A stampede Saturday at a church charity occasion in southern Nigeria left 31 individuals dead and 7 injured, police informed The Associated Press, a surprising development at a program that aimed to supply hope to the needy. One witness stated the lifeless included a pregnant woman and plenty of youngsters.

The stampede on the event organized by the Kings Assembly Pentecostal church in Rivers state concerned people who got here to the church’s annual “Shop for Free” charity program, in keeping with Grace Iringe-Koko, a police spokeswoman.

Such events are common in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economic system, the place greater than 80 million people dwell in poverty, in accordance with authorities statistics.

Saturday’s charity program was supposed to start at 9 a.m. but dozens arrived as early as 5 a.m. to secure their place in line, Iringe-Koko stated. One way or the other the locked gate was damaged open, making a stampede, she said.

Godwin Tepikor from Nigeria’s National Emergency Administration Agency mentioned first responders were capable of evacuate the bodies of those trampled to loss of life and bring them to the morgue. Security forces cordoned off the realm.

Dozens of residents later thronged the scene, mourning the dead and providing any assistance they might to emergency employees. Docs and emergency employees handled a few of the injured as they lay within the open area. Videos from the scene showed the clothes, sneakers and different objects meant for the beneficiaries.

One witness who solely identified himself as Daniel stated "there have been so many children” among the lifeless. 5 of the lifeless kids were from one mom, he advised the AP, adding that a pregnant girl also misplaced her life.

Some church members were attacked and injured by kin of the victims after the stampede, based on witness Christopher Eze. The church declined to comment on the scenario.

The police spokeswoman said the seven injured have been “responding to therapy."

The “Store for Free” event was suspended while authorities investigated how the stampede occurred.

Nigeria has seen similar stampedes prior to now.

Twenty-four folks died at an overcrowded church gathering in the southeastern state of Anambra in 2013, whereas not less than 16 individuals had been killed in 2014 when a crowd bought uncontrolled during a screening for government jobs within the nation's capital, Abuja.

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Associated Press journalist Hilary Uguru in Warri, Nigeria, contributed.