Amarachi Nwosu, 32, cannot forget the chaos that engulfed the Holy Trinity Catholic Church grounds this morning. Although she and her three-year-old son almost died, she is apprehensive about where the next meal will come from.
Clutching her three-year-old son, Obinna, she recalls the desperate push of the crowd as thousands scrambled to receive palliatives.
“I didn’t even know what was happening. I just wanted to get food for my children. The next thing, I felt people pushing me, and I lost my balance,” Amarachi whispered, her voice trembling.
For Amarachi, like many others, the event was supposed to be a blessing. She had heard about the church’s palliative distribution from a neighbour in Mararaba.
Along with her son, she arrived at the venue around 5 a.m., hopeful that they would leave with something to eat for the week.
“It’s been hard. The cost of food is unbearable. Even a cup of rice is now a luxury for us,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
As the sun rose, so did the crowd’s desperation. Witnesses described how people jostled for space, ignoring pleas from volunteers to maintain order. Amid the confusion, Amarachi fell, her son slipping from her grasp.
“I thought I had lost Obinna. I screamed for help, but it felt like no one could hear me. A young man pulled me up, and I saw a woman holding my son. I will never forget her kindness,” she cried.
Amarachi and Obinna were among the lucky ones. Nearby, others weren’t as fortunate.
A 65-year-old widow from Mpape (name withheld) wasn’t able to escape the surge. Her neighbours later confirmed she had passed away, her frail body unable to withstand the stampede.
‘I just wanted to help my mother,’ says 18-yr-old with broken arm
At the nearby Maitama General Hospital, survivors recounted their stories.
Terngu Nyam, 18, who had gone to collect food for his family, suffered a broken arm in the commotion.
“I just wanted to help my mother. We’ve been struggling to eat one meal a day. I didn’t think this would happen,” he said as he was discharged from the hospital.
For the victims and their families, the tragedy is a stark reminder of the desperation caused by economic hardship.
The church had organised the event with good intentions, but inadequate crowd control turned it into a nightmare.
As of the time of filing this report, Mrs Juliet Onwuemelie, the coordinator of the St Vincent de Paul Charity Society of the parish, has been detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, for interrogation and did not have access to her phone.
‘Security overwhelmed’
A source at the FCID, who simply identified himself as Emmanuel, explained: “Onwuemelie stated that she wasn’t feeling too well and was yet to arrive at the scene before other members of the group reported to her what had transpired.
“According to other parishioners, the church has departments that take care of welfare as well as security.
“The church security made efforts to control the mammoth crowd gathered outside the church premises, directing that they should enter in sets of 10 people
“But the people, out of desperation and hunger, couldn’t wait to enter in an orderly manner.
“The stampede was outside the church premises. She has declared her innocence in her statement.”
Vanguard learned that the palliative distribution was organised simultaneously across Catholic parishes in the Abuja Archdiocese on Saturday by members of the St Vincent de Paul society.
The emotional scars will last – Doctor
One of the doctors treating survivors, who spoke anonymously as he is not authorised to speak to the press about the condition of patients, described the harrowing scenes.
“Many came in with bruises, fractures, and signs of trauma.
“But the emotional scars may take longer to heal,” he said.
As residents mourn, Amarachi holds Obinna tightly, vowing never to put him in such danger again. But she wonders how long they can survive without help.
“We are not angry at the church. They wanted to help. But now, all I can think about is how we will eat tomorrow,” she said.
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