The Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed that three more women have died following a stampede at the venue of an almsgiving Zakat, bringing the number of deaths recorded to seven.

The stampede which happened at about 10 am at the Shafa Holdings Company Plc headquarters along Jos Road, on Sunday which led to the death of four women.

It was gathered that the crowd, largely women, had gathered for the distribution of the Zakaat items, distributed by a Bauchi-based philanthropist.

The distribution was said to have begun smoothly, with beneficiaries called in groups to receive items, until restlessness among others led to a struggle to enter the premises.

+Giving an update on the incident, the spokesman of the Command, SP Ahmed Wakili, in a phone interview with our reporter on Monday, disclosed that two more women died at the Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), adding that the third woman died at home.

He gave the names of the casualties as Aisha Usman, aged 13; Sahura Abubakar, aged 55; Aisha Ibrahim Abubakar, aged 43; Kobi Street Bauchi; and Khadija Isah, aged 8; Karofi Bauchi.

The rest are Maryam Suleiman, aged 20, of Kandahar Bauchi; Maryam Shuibu, aged 16, of Gwang Gwan Gwan Bauchi; and Hassana Saidu, aged 53, of Dutsen Tanshi Bauchi.

“These are the number of victims confirmed dead by medical doctors. More details will be made available to the public as the command receives them,” he stated.