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ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - At least 13 individuals, including 4 children, were eliminated in two different stampedes in Nigeria as big crowds collected to collect food and clothing products distributed at annual Christmas occasions, the authorities stated Saturday.

The 2 mishaps came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populated nation, amid a growing trend by regional companies, churches and individuals to organize charity occasions ahead of Christmas, as the nation fights with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

Ten people were killed in the first stampede in the early hours at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, an upmarket part of the capital, Abuja, police spokesperson Josephine Adeh said in a declaration, adding that more than 1,000 people have been left from the church.

There was a crowd surge at one of the church gates, as lots tried to enter the premises at around 4 a.m., hours before the gift products were to be shared, witnesses stated, mentioning that some had been waiting since the previous night.

"The way they were rushing to get in, some people were falling and some of them were old," Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang said he managed to rescue one infant as his mother had a hard time in the rise.

Three individuals died in a similar crush later on in the southeastern Anambra state's Okija town at a fundraiser organized by a benefactor, the state police stated.

"The event had actually not even started when the rush began," authorities spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga stated. There might be more deaths tape-recorded as officers investigate the incident, he stated.

Viral footage that seemed from the Abuja scene showed lifeless bodies resting on the ground as individuals yelled for assistance. A few of the hurt have been dealt with and discharged while others continue to get healthcare, authorities stated.

The church canceled the charity drive with bags of rice and clothes products still arranged within the premises.

As the church held a wedding after the crowd was evacuated, the pain and sadness stayed palpable even as friends and families gathered for wedding event images.

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu expressed his compassion with the victims' families and asked states and relevant authorities to implement strict crowd control procedures.

The current stampedes in Nigeria have actually raised concerns about precaution in such events. Several children were eliminated on Wednesday this week when a regional foundation arranged a well-attended funfair to distribute present items and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.

After the current catastrophe, the cops in Abuja revealed that previous approval must be acquired before such charity drive are arranged.

The current economic challenge under Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who promised "renewed hope" when he was sworn into office in May 2023, is blamed on rising inflation that is at a 28-year high and the government ´ s economic policies that have actually pushed the regional currency to record low against the dollar.

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