At least seven persons have lost their lives from a dreaded stampede that occurred during an almsgiving exercise at Shafa Holdings Company Plc on Jos Road in Bauchi State on Sunday 24th March 2024.
It was gathered that the fatal stampede happened at the Shafa Holdings Company Plc headquarters along Jos Road at about 10 a.m. when the company was holding its annual Zakat exercise, otherwise known as almsgiving, to assist the needy in the state.
Reacting to the incident, the Bauchi state Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakili, who said that the situation has been stabilized, noted that the command received a distress call at about 10.20am from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital Bauchi, indicating that five people were brought to the hospital unconscious due to the stampede.
Wakili stated that a call was received from a Good Samaritan and upon receiving the call, the Commissioner of Police, Musa Mohammed, directed the area commander to the scene of the crime.
“We have cordoned off the place and evacuated those injured to the hospital. In the process, five people were in the hospital, but four were confirmed dead by medical doctors. The exercise is a Zakat exercise that was given to the less privileged by Shafa Holding Company along Jos Road; that is the major cause of the stampede.” He added.
However, providing an update on the incident on Monday 25th March, Wakili noted that three other women have been confirmed dead.
The police boss revealed that two women lost their lives at the Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, and the third woman died at home.
The deceased are Aisha Usman, aged 13; Sahura Abubakar, aged 55; Aisha Ibrahim Abubakar, aged 43; Kobi Street Bauchi; and Khadija Isah, aged 8; Karofi Bauchi.
Others are Maryam Suleiman, aged 20, of Kandahar Bauchi; Maryam Shuibu, aged 16, of Gwang Gwan Gwan Bauchi; and Hassana Saidu, aged 53, of Dutsen Tanshi Bauchi.
