Two Died In Stampede Over COVID-19 Palliatives In Abuja

Two women died on Monday in a vicious struggle for COVID-19 palliatives looted by hoodlums in a warehouse on the Secretariat road in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja.

It was learnt that many people were stabbed, some fainted in the commotion, while several others were injured during the struggle.

The palliatives were said to have included rice, salt, noodles, spaghetti and sugar, as well as other condiments.

Sources said that attempts were made to revive those who fainted while the corpses of the deceased women were taken away by some residents.

A mob had besieged the warehouse around 8:00am to ‘collect’ their own share of the food items neither maintaining any queues nor having security personnel around.

An eyewitness, simply identified as Uhiene, said the process was smooth until around midday when it was disrupted by some impatient persons.

“Right now, they (thugs) are pushing people inside, some persons are fainting, some are dying inside,” she added.

Another eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, said: “Getting into the warehouse was very tough and hard. I suffered some bruises, but glory be to God, I made it; because, it was not an easy feat.

“Some are dying in there (the warehouse), others are suffocating, sweating…. There was a woman of 21-years-old that died inside. Another woman also died.