Tuesday, May 20, 2025 - The Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) has confirmed that one person died and 21 others sustained injuries following a stampede during a cash disbursement exercise in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
The tragic incident occurred on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at
KASUGULA Primary School, one of the designated pay points for the second phase
of a joint humanitarian cash transfer initiative by the NRCS and the United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
A statement issued by the NRCS on Saturday, May 17, in
Maiduguri described the incident as regrettable, noting that the cash support
programme was designed to aid the educational needs of vulnerable families in
three local government areas of the state.
The second phase of the disbursement, which targets 8,121
beneficiaries, commenced on May 14 across four locations in Bama, namely:
KASUGULA Primary School, Old Bama Primary School, Kaigamari Primary School, and
Mbusube Primary School.
"Over 1,000 beneficiaries successfully received
assistance on the first day of distribution without incident,” the statement
read.
However, on the second day of the exercise, overcrowding at
the KASUGULA venue led to a stampede, resulting in the death of one person and
injuries to 21 others.
The NRCS said that four of the injured who experienced
breathing difficulties were promptly resuscitated and remain under medical
care. Their condition is reported to be stable, and they are expected to be
discharged soon.
“All the injured were evacuated to the General Hospital in
Bama for treatment,” the statement added.
The organisation expressed condolences to the family of the
deceased and pledged to review its operational procedures to prevent a
recurrence.
The cash disbursement initiative forms part of efforts to
enhance access to education and reduce vulnerability among conflict-affected
populations in Borno.
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