A tragic stampede resulted in the loss of at least four lives as individuals jostled to collect Zakat distributed by private businessman AYM Shafa in Bauchi State,leadership reports.
The stampede occurred on Sunday at Shafa Holdings office along Jos Road in Bauchi metropolis, where the impoverished and needy had gathered in large numbers since morning, awaiting their turn to receive Zakat, as prescribed by Islamic jurisprudence.
Zakat, a fundamental tenet of the Islamic faith, obligates Muslims to donate a portion of their wealth to charity. To qualify for Zakat, Muslims must meet a specific financial threshold, usually 2.5% or 1/40 of their total savings and wealth, which is then distributed to the less fortunate.
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SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, spokesperson for the Bauchi State Police Command, confirmed the incident, stating that approximately four individuals lost their lives in the stampede, with many others sustaining injuries. However, he reassured that the situation had been contained.
This unfortunate event echoes a similar tragedy just two days prior, where two students of Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) lost their lives in a stampede while attempting to collect rice palliatives provided by the State Government.
