Children among 31 killed at church truthful stampede in Nigeria

ABUJA, Nigeria -- A stampede Saturday at a church charity occasion in southern Nigeria left 31 folks lifeless and seven injured, police advised The Related Press, a stunning growth at a program that aimed to offer hope to the needy. One witness said the lifeless included a pregnant girl and many youngsters.

The stampede at the occasion organized by the Kings Meeting Pentecostal church in Rivers state concerned people who came to the church’s annual “Shop for Free” charity program, in line with Grace Iringe-Koko, a police spokeswoman.

Such events are common in Nigeria, Africa’s largest financial system, where more than 80 million folks reside in poverty, in accordance with authorities statistics.

Saturday’s charity program was supposed to begin at 9 a.m. however dozens arrived as early as 5 a.m. to secure their place in line, Iringe-Koko stated. Somehow the locked gate was broken open, creating a stampede, she stated.

Godwin Tepikor from Nigeria’s Nationwide Emergency Management Agency stated first responders were capable of evacuate the our bodies of those trampled to dying and bring them to the morgue. Safety forces cordoned off the world.

Dozens of residents later thronged the scene, mourning the dead and providing any help they might to emergency employees. Doctors and emergency staff treated some of the injured as they lay within the open area. Videos from the scene confirmed the clothing, sneakers and other items meant for the beneficiaries.

One witness who only identified himself as Daniel mentioned "there were so many kids” among the lifeless. Five of the lifeless kids have been from one mom, he told the AP, including that a pregnant woman also lost her life.

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

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

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

Nigeria has seen similar stampedes previously.

Twenty-four people died at an overcrowded church gathering within the southeastern state of Anambra in 2013, whereas no less than 16 folks had been killed in 2014 when a crowd obtained uncontrolled throughout a screening for government jobs in the nation's capital, Abuja.

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