At least 10 people, including children, are feared dead, while several others sustained injuries during a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday morning. The incident occurred as thousands of residents scrambled to receive palliatives distributed by the church.

The event, organized to provide relief to struggling residents, drew over 3,000 people, mostly from Mpape, Gishiri Village, and other nearby settlements. The National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, confirmed the tragic development, noting the suspension of the palliative distribution.

An eyewitness described the scene as chaotic and tragic, disclosed that at least seven of the deceased were children. It was learnt that many attendees arrived as early as 4:00 AM, hoping to secure their share of the palliatives while he stampede occurred between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM when the crowd surged forward.

In response to the chaos, a combined team of police, military, and DSS officers was deployed to restore order and disperse the crowd. The church premises, initially filled with anxious beneficiaries, gradually cleared as security personnel enforced the suspension. This tragedy reflected a similar incident that occurred just days earlier in Ibadan, Oyo State, where a stampede at a children’s funfair resulted in the deaths of at least 35 children and left six others critically injured.