Police have now warned organizers to notify the authorities before holding charity events to prevent such loss of life.
Toyin Abdul Kadri, who witnessed the crowd at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Abuja, told the AFP news agency that those present “forced open the door and forced their way inside”.
“Vulnerable and elderly people” took part in the event, and four children died, the police said.
In a social media post about the calamities, Amnesty International Nigeria wrote: “The government of President Bola Tinubu must urgently prioritize addressing widespread hunger, higher unemployment and rapidly declining living standards.”
Food and transport costs have more than tripled in Nigeria in the last 18 months.
The global surge in inflation has been exacerbated by some government policies – designed to boost the economy in the long term – such as the removal of fuel subsidies.
In a statement on the fatal accidents, President Bola Tinubu said: “In a season of joy and celebration, we mourn with fellow citizens who mourn the painful loss of their loved ones. Our prayers of divine comfort and healing are with them.”
He called on state governments and police to implement strict crowd control measures and canceled all official engagements in honor of the victims.
He also noted similarities between the incidents, including one earlier this week in the southwestern city of Ibadan.
In the crowd at the school fair there, 35 children died and six were seriously injured.
Thousands of people showed up with the promise of free food.
Residents of Bashorun, a suburb of Ibadan, told the BBC that the crowd soon exceeded 5,000 people, with many trying to force their way through the school gates. The parents reportedly tried to climb over the fence surrounding the compound to gain access.
Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the three “tragic” incidents highlighted the “urgent need for a more structured and effective approach to assisting vulnerable communities and members of the public in general”.
