Children among 31 killed at church fair stampede in Nigeria

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

The stampede on the event organized by the Kings Meeting Pentecostal church in Rivers state involved individuals who came to the church’s annual “Shop for Free” charity program, in accordance with Grace Iringe-Koko, a police spokeswoman.

Such occasions are widespread in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economic system, where greater than 80 million folks stay in poverty, in line with government statistics.

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

Godwin Tepikor from Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Company mentioned first responders have been able to evacuate the bodies of these trampled to loss of life and bring them to the morgue. Safety forces cordoned off the world.

Dozens of residents later thronged the scene, mourning the useless and offering any help they may to emergency employees. Medical doctors and emergency employees treated a number of the injured as they lay in the open area. Videos from the scene showed the clothes, shoes and other gadgets meant for the beneficiaries.

One witness who only identified himself as Daniel mentioned "there were so many kids” among the many lifeless. 5 of the dead children have been from one mother, he advised the AP, including that a pregnant girl also lost her life.

Some church members were attacked and injured by family of the victims after the stampede, based on witness Christopher Eze. The church declined to touch upon the state of affairs.

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

The “Shop for Free” occasion was suspended whereas authorities investigated how the stampede occurred.

Nigeria has seen related stampedes in the past.

Twenty-four folks died at an overcrowded church gathering in the southeastern state of Anambra in 2013, while at least 16 individuals had been killed in 2014 when a crowd obtained uncontrolled throughout a screening for government jobs within the nation's capital, Abuja.

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