ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - A minimum of 13 people, including 4 children, were eliminated in two separate stampedes in Nigeria as large crowds gathered to collect food and clothing items distributed at yearly Christmas occasions, the authorities said Saturday.

The two accidents came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populated nation, in the middle of a growing trend by local organizations, churches and individuals to organize charity occasions ahead of Christmas, as the nation battles with the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

Ten people were eliminated in the first stampede in the early hours at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, an upmarket part of the capital, Abuja, cops representative Josephine Adeh said in a statement, including that more than 1,000 individuals have been evacuated from the church.

There was a crowd rise at one of the church gates, as lots tried to enter the facilities at around 4 a.m., hours before the present products were to be shared, witnesses said, mentioning that some had actually been waiting given that the previous night.

"The way they were hurrying to go into, some people were falling and some of them were old," Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang said he managed to save one baby as his mom struggled in the rise.

Three individuals passed away in a comparable crush later on in the southeastern Anambra state's Okija town at a fundraiser arranged by a philanthropist, the state authorities said.

"The occasion had actually not even started when the rush began," cops spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga said. There might be more deaths recorded as officers investigate the occurrence, he said.

Viral video footage that seemed from the Abuja scene revealed lifeless bodies lying on the ground as individuals screamed for aid. Some of the injured have been dealt with and released while others continue to receive healthcare, police said.

The church canceled the charity drive with bags of rice and clothes items still organized within the facilities.

As the church held a wedding after the crowd was evacuated, the misery and unhappiness stayed palpable even as households and friends collected for wedding event images.

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

The current stampedes in Nigeria have actually raised concerns about security measures in such occasions. Several kids were eliminated on Wednesday this week when a local foundation arranged a well-attended funfair to disperse gift items and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.

After the current catastrophe, the cops in Abuja revealed that previous approval needs to be acquired before such fundraiser are arranged.

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

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has actually led to mass protests in current months. In August, a minimum of 20 individuals were shot dead and hundreds of others were jailed at demonstrations requiring better opportunities and tasks for youths.