A humanitarian cash distribution exercise turned tragic in Bama, Borno State, on May 15, as a stampede at a payment center claimed the lives of three people and left 21 others injured.
The aid event, jointly organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and UNICEF, was held at Kasugula Primary School, one of several sites designated for the disbursement of N28,500 flat-rate cash assistance to residents affected by insurgency in the area.
Eyewitnesses said the tragedy occurred around 8:00 a.m. when a large crowd surged towards the school gate. In the ensuing panic, several people were trampled. One of the victims, Bukar Labddo (60) from Bukar Tela Ward, was confirmed dead on arrival at General Hospital, Bama. Two others later died while receiving treatment.
Those injured in the stampede include women, elderly persons, and young adults, most of whom are residents of Bama town. Among the injured are Falmata Alhaji Modu, Fatima Mohammed, Amina Mohammed, and Bulama Yakime.
Security forces and emergency teams were quickly deployed to restore calm and transport the injured to the hospital.
Local authorities confirmed that the deceased have been handed over to their families for burial in line with Islamic customs.
The incident has sparked renewed concern over crowd control and safety measures during humanitarian operations in northeast Nigeria, a region still grappling with the effects of over a decade of conflict and displacement caused by Boko Haram insurgency.
