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.
