According to reports from AFP, BBC News and Al Jazeera, at least 7 people have been killed on Saturday and dozens more injured following a stampede in Nigeria's capital city Abuja after job seekers panicked and a stampede occurred during a recruitment drive.
Over 60,000 people attended the recruitment drive at the Abuja Stadium for Nigeria's Immigration Service Department and due to a lack of security at the event, applicants surged towards the central stage with many panicked applicants trampling over each other.
The recruitment drive was held at various stadiums across the country and there have been reports that similar stampedes ensued in the other locations across the country.
President Goodluck Jonathan said he was "shocked and deeply saddened" by the deaths of "young citizens who were at the exercise not only to secure jobs but to be allowed the opportunity to contribute towards the development of the nation".
This is a truly sad situation for all of those families who lost loved ones yesterday and their only crime was trying to secure a legitimate job. May their souls rest in peace and we hope their deaths were not in vain.
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