Children among 31 killed at church truthful stampede in Nigeria

ABUJA, Nigeria -- A stampede Saturday at a church charity event in southern Nigeria left 31 people dead and 7 injured, police instructed The Associated Press, a surprising growth at a program that aimed to supply hope to the needy. One witness mentioned the dead included a pregnant woman and many youngsters.

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

Such events are widespread in Nigeria, Africa’s largest financial system, the place greater than 80 million folks reside in poverty, in keeping with government 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 said. In some way the locked gate was broken open, creating a stampede, she mentioned.

Godwin Tepikor from Nigeria’s Nationwide Emergency Administration Company said first responders were capable of evacuate the our bodies of these trampled to loss of life and produce them to the morgue. Security forces cordoned off the area.

Dozens of residents later thronged the scene, mourning the lifeless and offering any assistance they may to emergency workers. Doctors and emergency employees treated among the injured as they lay in the open field. Videos from the scene showed the clothes, footwear and other objects meant for the beneficiaries.

One witness who only recognized himself as Daniel said "there were so many children” among the many useless. 5 of the dead children were from one mom, he advised the AP, adding that a pregnant lady also misplaced her life.

Some church members have been attacked and injured by family of the victims after the stampede, in keeping with witness Christopher Eze. The church declined to touch upon the state of affairs.

The police spokeswoman stated the seven injured had been “responding to therapy."

The “Store for Free” occasion was suspended while authorities investigated how the stampede occurred.

Nigeria has seen similar stampedes up to now.

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

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