The death toll from the stampede in Anambra State has risen to 22, local authorities confirmed on Sunday.
A spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that the police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Ikenga, a Superintendent of Police, reported that those injured are currently receiving medical treatment.
“The Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam, visited the hospital where the victims of the tragic stampede that occurred on 21/12/2024 in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area, are being treated, and regrettably confirmed that twenty-two people lost their lives,” Ikenga said.
“The CP extends his condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and wishes the injured a swift recovery.”
The stampede occurred on Saturday during a rice distribution event at Amaranta Stadium in Ojika, Ihiala LGA. The event was organised by the Obijackson Foundation.
This is not the first stampede of late, as the country has witnessed similar tragedies in Abuja and Oyo State earlier in December.
Shortly before the Anambra incident, another stampede took place at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, claiming the lives of 10 individuals.Just a few days prior, a similar incident unfolded in Ibadan, Oyo State, where a stampede at a children’s funfair led to the deaths of at least 35 children, with six others critically injured.
As a result, many Nigerians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, have called for improved crowd management at large-scale events in light of the multiple stampedes during food distribution programmes.
“It is with a heavy heart and profound sorrow that I once again receive the devastating news of lives lost in tragic stampedes, this time in Okija, Anambra, and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, resulting in the untimely deaths of many,” Atiku wrote in a post on his X account late Saturday.
“It is essential that those responsible for organising such large-scale events exercise the utmost care in managing crowds, ensuring the safety and welfare of all participants,” he added.
Peter Obi remarked that the incidents highlight the growing hunger in the country, which has driven many to desperation.
“I am deeply saddened and distressed by the tragic loss of lives in the desperate search for food,” Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, wrote on his X account on Saturday afternoon.
“While I will not assign blame but instead commend the organisers of these respective events for their goodwill in providing palliatives and support to society, especially the poor, these tragedies underscore the systemic failures that afflict our society,” he said.
“The desperate struggle for survival in these harsh economic conditions has pushed our people to extreme measures in their quest for food, often at the expense of their lives.”