ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - At least 13 people, including four kids, were killed in 2 separate stampedes in Nigeria as big crowds collected to gather food and clothing items distributed at yearly Christmas events, the authorities stated Saturday.

The two mishaps came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populated nation, amid a growing pattern by regional companies, churches and individuals to arrange charity drive ahead of Christmas, as the country deals with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

Ten people were eliminated in the first stampede in the early hours at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, an upmarket part of the capital, Abuja, authorities spokesman Josephine Adeh stated in a declaration, adding that more than 1,000 individuals have actually been left from the church.

There was a crowd rise at one of the church gates, as lots tried to go into the properties at around 4 a.m., hours before the gift items were to be shared, witnesses stated, mentioning that some had actually been waiting because the previous night.

"The method they were hurrying to go into, some individuals were falling and a few of them were old," Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang stated he managed to rescue one baby as his mother struggled in the surge.

Three people passed away in a comparable crush later on in the southeastern Anambra state's Okija town at a charity drive organized by a benefactor, the state authorities stated.

"The occasion had not even started when the rush began," police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga stated. There might be more deaths recorded as officers examine the event, he said.

Viral video that seemed from the Abuja scene showed lifeless bodies resting on the ground as individuals yelled for help. Some of the hurt have actually been treated and discharged while others continue to receive healthcare, cops stated.

The church canceled the charity event with bags of rice and clothing items still organized within the premises.

As the church held a marital relationship event after the crowd was left, the misery and sadness stayed palpable even as friends and families collected for wedding event images.

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu expressed his compassion with the victims' households and asked states and pertinent authorities to impose strict crowd control steps.

The recent stampedes in Nigeria have actually raised questions about precaution in such events. Several kids were eliminated on Wednesday today when a local structure arranged a well-attended funfair to disperse gift products and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.

After the current disaster, the authorities in Abuja revealed that previous permission must be acquired before such charity occasions are arranged.

The present financial difficulty under Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who guaranteed "restored hope" when he was sworn into office in May 2023, is blamed on rising inflation that is at a 28-year high and the federal government ´ s financial policies that have pushed the regional currency to tape-record low against the dollar.

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has resulted in mass demonstrations in recent months. In August, a minimum of 20 people were shot dead and hundreds of others were arrested at protests demanding better and jobs for young individuals.