Tragedy struck in Anambra State on Saturday, December 21, as a stampede during a rice distribution event resulted in the deaths of at least 17 people. The incident occurred at Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area, where officials of the Obijackson Foundation were distributing Christmas rice to the community.
The annual event had drawn a large crowd, with many people arriving as early as 5 a.m. to wait for the distribution to begin. As the distribution started, the crowd became uncontrollable, leading to a stampede that claimed the lives of 17 people, mostly women and youths.
According to Vanguard, many others sustained injuries and were rushed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala, for treatment. The hospital’s mortuary was overwhelmed with dead bodies, including those of pregnant women. The chaotic scenes of people trying to escape and revive those who fell unconscious were captured in a viral video.
Why stampede in Anambra rice sharing
The Obijackson Foundation has been distributing Christmas gifts to the community for many years, and the event is always highly anticipated. However, this year’s event turned tragic due to the uncontrollable crowd and inadequate safety measures. The incident has left many relatives of the victims in shock and grief, with some seen sobbing uncontrollably.
The Anambra State police command has yet to confirm the incident, but eyewitnesses have provided a harrowing account of what happened. The incident has raised concerns about crowd control and safety measures at public events, particularly those that attract large crowds.
The stampede in Anambra is the latest in a series of similar incidents that have occurred in Nigeria in recent weeks. Just days ago, a stampede at a children’s funfair in Ibadan resulted in the deaths of at least 35 children, and another incident in Abuja claimed the lives of at least 10 people.
