Tragedy struck at Diffa, Niger Republic, Monday morning when 23 persons died in a stampede during a food distribution to Nigerian refugees by Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State.
Governor Zulum launched the exercise last Saturday at Diffa to reach out to 120,000 refugees chased out of Nirtgern, Borno State by Boko Haram
after the governor returned home, Daily Trust was informed by the Governor’s Media Assistant Isa Gusau, that the committee continued with the exercise and distributed relief items to 3000 more refugees at a location called Gidan Wasa in Diffa.
However, a massive crowd, mostly Niger Republic citizens, unaware that the Committee had moved to another location, flooded Gidan Wasa, desperate to benefit from the relief items.
The Governor’s Media Assistant told Daily Trust that the situation resulted in a stampede, “leading to the collapse of a building structure on a crowd of people and consequently, 23 persons died, out of whom four were Nigerians”.
GIO TV gathered that following the stampede Governor Zulum has called for a suspension of the exercise as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives.