Most of the victims were children.
The incident took place at a local polo club, where the nearby Assembly of Kings Church had organized a gift-giving campaign, according to Olufemi Ayodele, regional spokesman for the Nigerian Civil Defense Corps.
“During the process of distributing the gift items, there was a stampede due to overcrowding,” he said. “The victims were mostly children.”
Driving had not yet begun when the crash occurred, said Grace Woyengikuro Iringe-Koko, a spokeswoman for the state police. Woyengikuro Iringe-Koko said the crowd was forced to enter the site, even though the door was closed, leading to the deadly charge.
Thirty-one people have been confirmed dead, Woyengikuro Iringe-Koko said. Seven injured people were hospitalized after the incident, he added.
CNN’s Manveena Suri contributed to this report