At least four persons have lost their lives in a stampede while struggling to collect Zakat being distributed by a private businessman, AYM Shafa, in Bauchi State.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the stampede occurred on Sunday at the office of Shafa Holdings located along Jos Road in Bauchi metropolis.
The poor and needy, who by Islamic jurisprudence are meant to be beneficiaries of Zakat, had gathered in their numbers since morning waiting to take their turns to collect the Zakat.
Our correspondent reports that Zakat is one of the pillars of the Islamic faith. It requires all Muslims to donate a portion of their wealth to charity. Muslims must meet a certain threshold before they can qualify for zakat. The amount is 2.5% or 1/40 of an individual’s total savings and wealth, which is thereafter given out to the needy and poor.
Confirming the incident to our correspondent, Spokesperson of Bauchi State Police Command, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, said about four persons lost their lives in the stampede.
He said scores of others were injured, adding that the situation had been brought under control.
LEADERSHIP recalls that just two days ago on Friday, two students of Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) lost their lives in a stampede that followed an attempt to collect rice palliative provided by the State Government.
