About five persons were feared dead on Monday following a stampede that occurred during the collection of zakat gifts in Kaduna, Kaduna State.
Zakat is a charitable contribution expected to be given to the underprivileged by Muslims who are well-to-do.
DAILY POST gathered that scores fainted while waiting to receive zakat from a businessman in the state at Kabala Costain, in Kaduna North Local Government Area of the state.
The State Police Command’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Zubairu, however denied the claim that five persons lost their lives during the stampede.
He said, “The command drafted its personnel to the venue, and they did not report any death at the venue of the Zakat.”
An eyewitness however said five persons lost their lives at the venue which was packed with both able bodied and physically-challenged persons, adding that the stampede occurred when the crowd became uncontrollable.
“It was after the stampede that the police were invited to control the crowd to prevent further tragedy.”
A beneficiary, Bala Mohammed, stated that when they got to the venue, the physically disabled persons were told to queue separately, while the able-bodied women formed another queue.
He stated that the businessman, on arrival started giving out the zakat gifts, adding that the stampede occurred just when he started attending to the women with five persons feared dead.
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