ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - A minimum of 13 people, including 4 kids, were eliminated in 2 different stampedes in Nigeria as large crowds collected to collect food and clothing products distributed at yearly Christmas events, the authorities said Saturday.

The two mishaps came days after another such stampede in Africa ´ s most populous country, amidst a growing trend by regional companies, churches and people to organize charity events ahead of Christmas, as the country has a hard time 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, cops spokesman Josephine Adeh said in a statement, adding that more than 1,000 individuals have been left from the church.

There was a crowd rise at one of the church gates, as dozens tried to get in the facilities at around 4 a.m., hours before the present products were to be shared, witnesses said, pointing out that some had been waiting considering that the previous night.

"The way they were hurrying to get in, some people were falling and some of them were old," Loveth Inyang, a witness. Inyang stated he managed to save one infant as his mom had a hard time in the surge.

Three individuals passed away in a similar crush later in the southeastern Anambra state's Okija town at a charity event organized by a philanthropist, the state authorities stated.

"The event had not even started when the rush started," authorities spokesman Tochukwu Ikenga stated. There could be more deaths tape-recorded as officers investigate the event, he stated.

Viral footage that appeared to be from the Abuja scene revealed lifeless bodies lying on the ground as people 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 event with bags of rice and clothes products still organized within the facilities.

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

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu expressed his sympathy with the victims' households and asked states and appropriate authorities to impose strict crowd control measures.

The current stampedes in Nigeria have raised concerns about security steps in such occasions. Several children were killed on Wednesday this week when a regional foundation arranged a well-attended funfair to disperse present products and food to kids in southwestern Oyo state.

After the most recent disaster, the authorities in Abuja announced that prior permission needs to be gotten before such charity drive are arranged.

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

Frustration over the cost-of-living crisis has led to mass demonstrations in current months. In August, at least 20 people were shot dead and numerous others were apprehended at protests demanding much better opportunities and tasks for young individuals.