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The Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) has confirmed the death of one person and injuries to 21 others following a stampede during a cash disbursement exercise in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
The incident occurred on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at KASUGULA Primary School—one of the designated distribution points for the second phase of a humanitarian cash transfer initiative jointly implemented by the NRCS and UNICEF.
In a statement released on Saturday, May 17, in Maiduguri, the NRCS described the incident as deeply regrettable. The cash assistance program was designed to support the educational needs of vulnerable families across three local government areas in Borno, a region heavily impacted by conflict.
The disbursement’s second phase, targeting 8,121 beneficiaries, began on May 14 and covered four locations in Bama: KASUGULA Primary School, Old Bama Primary School, Kaigamari Primary School, and Mbusube Primary School.
“Over 1,000 beneficiaries successfully received their cash assistance on the first day without any incident,” the NRCS stated.
However, the situation took a tragic turn on the second day when overcrowding at the KASUGULA venue led to a stampede. One person lost their life, and 21 others were injured. Among those injured, four individuals who experienced breathing complications were promptly resuscitated and are currently receiving medical care. Their conditions are reported to be stable, and they are expected to recover fully.
All injured persons were evacuated to the General Hospital in Bama for treatment.
The NRCS extended its condolences to the family of the deceased and pledged to reassess its operational procedures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
This cash disbursement effort is part of broader initiatives aimed at improving educational access and reducing the vulnerability of conflict-affected populations in northeastern Nigeria.
