At least four people have reportedly died in a stampede during an almsgiving exercise in Bauchi State, Northeast Nigeria.
Reports indicated that the unfortunate incident happened on Sunday morning at the Shafa Holdings Company Plc headquarters along Jos Road.
The company has yet to issue any statement on the matter, the Bauchi State Police Command spokesman, Ahmed Wakili, who confirmed the incident to The PUNCH, said the situation had been brought under control.
Efforts made by SaharaReporters to speak with Superintendent of Police Wakili, to independently confirm the incident and get more information were unsuccessful as he rejected several calls and had yet to reply to a text message inquiry.
Channels TV reports that 17-year-old Naima Abdullahi was receiving medical treatment at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi.
It added that on visiting the scene, the crowd had been dispersed, and police vehicles were stationed in the area. However, a few women were still waiting outside in anticipation of further disbursement.
SaharaReporters reported a similar tragic incident on March 22, when two female students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, died in a stampede at the university’s convocation square during the distribution of palliatives to the students.
Several other students also sustained varying degrees of injury in the stampede.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State expressed grief over the tragic death of two students of the State University, Keffi.
Reacting to the tragic incident, Governor Sule directed the authorities of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, and security agencies to commence an immediate investigation into the unfortunate occurrence to unveil those behind it.
The governor in a statement issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, said he received with shock the news of the stampede, which reportedly occurred when suspected hoodlums and some misguided students forced their way into the school’s convocation ground to cart away the rice kept at the venue and meant for distribution as palliatives to students.
According to the statement, the incident happened hours before the scheduled official flag-off the same morning.
Addra said that his principal had come up with the widely applauded initiative to distribute rice and N5,000 cash each to students in all tertiary institutions in the state.