…Its a national tragedy – Shettima
… Stampede evidence of acute poverty, systemic failure – PDP, Obi
* IGP cautions palliative organizers
By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
Nigerians have continued to react to the tragedy that befall the nation during food sharing and other palliative activities in three separate locations in the country over the weekend where not less than 60 persons including children, pregnant women, the aged and other vulnerable citizens lost their lives in 96 hours.
The stampede took place amid a growing trend by local organizations, churches and individuals to organize charity events ahead of Christmas, as the country struggles with the worst cost-of-living crisis and high cost of living coupled with unprecedented rise in food inflation.
But the gestures turned into a tragedy when the crowd that had gathered became uncontrollable and the ensuing stampedes claimed the lives of people, including minors and the elderly at the separate venues.
The economic crisis in the country has been blamed on the economic measure rolled out by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Some have claimed these polices which ranges from the sudden removal of fuel subsidy, floating of the naira and increase in taxation had led to the destruction of the manufacturing sector, and made the real sector less attractive to investors.
Some expert said that these ill thought out policies pushed the inflation rate to a 28-year high of 34.6% just as the naira continues to devalue against the dollar.
The first incident was recorded on the 18 of December where about 35 children were reported dead at a Christmas funfair event in Ibadan, Oyo State. The incident occurred at the Bashorun district’s Islamic High School, where thousands of children and family members had gathered for advertised cash handouts and food distributions.
The event was organized by Olori Naomi Silekunola, the Women In Need Of Guidance and Support Foundation, and Agidigbo 88.7 FM. The event which had been held in previous years, targeted children aged 0-13 years and advertised distributions of 5,000 naira to 5,000 children, free food, and event prizes which included scholarships.
The stampede started when the event organizers arrived to commence gift distribution proceedings, though the exact sequence of events remains under investigation.
A similar tragedy also took place at Holy Trinity Catholic Church Maitama Abuja on Satruday morning where not less than 10 people were reported dead and many more injured in a stampede during a food distribution activity.
An eye witness at the Maitama venue reported that there was a crowd surge at one of the church gates, as dozens tried to enter the premises at around 4 a.m., hours before the gift items were to be shared.
Another resident, Mrs Maria Okonkwo, who was heading to the venue, said: “The number of people was overwhelming, and more people were still arriving to take part in the rice distribution when people started shouting.
“The organisers were busy trying to control the crowd, but there was little they could do as the crowd overpowered them. Some people chose to carry as many bags as possible, and when others fell, they were trampled by the surging crowd, leading to the deaths of several individuals.
“I cannot say exactly how many people died, but it could be around ten or 13. However, those who were injured are more than 30, and about six people fainted.”
In Okija, Anambra State, what was intended to be part of efforts to ameliorate the hard economic realities facing Nigerians turned to a tragedy that claimed 20 persons, leaving several others injured.
The disaster took place during an early morning stampede at Chief Earnest Azudialo Obiejesi, popularly known as Obi Jackson during the distribution of Christmas palliatives: rice and other consumables.
While commiserating with the victims, President Bola Tinubu cancelled all his official events in Lagos for Saturday, including his attendance at the 2024 Lagos Boat Regatta in honour of the stampede victims in Abuja and Okija, Anambra State.
Tinubu urged states and relevant authorities to enforce strict crowd control measures during such social gatherings.
He said that local and state authorities should no longer tolerate operational lapses by organisations and corporate bodies involved in charitable and humanitarian activities.
While praying for the peaceful repose of innocent Nigerians who died in the stampede, President Tinubu wished a quick recovery to the injured.
He reiterated that these mishaps are avoidable if event planners adhere to necessary safeguards and protocols to ensure pre- and post-event safety.
Also in his reaction, Vice President Kashim Shettima described the stampedes as a profound national tragedy.
He expressed deep sorrow and offered prayers for the victims and their families.
“I am extremely saddened by these tragic incidents that have claimed innocent lives. My prayers and thoughts are with the grieving families of all victims, including those who sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment,” Shettima said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha.
He lamented the preventable nature of the tragedies, emphasizing the need for better planning and organization during such events.
“I am extremely saddened by these tragic incidents that have claimed innocent lives. My prayers and thoughts are with the grieving families of all victims, including those who sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment.
“I am particularly distraught by the fact that so many lives of Nigerians, particularly children, have been lost in stampedes that ought to have been avoided through proper planning and organisation.
“This is not just a loss for individual states; it is a loss for the entire nation. May the Almighty God grant eternal rest to the souls of the departed,” Shettima said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha.
Similarly, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi in a post on X, Obi said that the tragedy was a reflection of a systemic failure in the country as well as quest for survival orchestrated by the economic hardship in the country.
“While I will not cast blame, but instead appreciate the organizers of these respective events for their kind gestures in providing palliatives and support to society, especially the poor, these tragedies reflect the systemic failures that plague our society,” Obi reacted.
He lamented that the desperate quest for survival in the harsh economy has driven people to extremes in their search for food, often at the cost of their lives.
Meanwhile, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the widespread food stampede in the country as an ugly testament of the alarming level of misery, poverty, hunger, starvation, sense of hopelessness and desperation for survival currently plaguing the nation under the overtly insensitive and rudderless Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
The Party lamented the tragic stampede at private events in Oyo, Abuja and Anambra States which claimed the lives of about 60 vulnerable citizens including children in their desperate struggle for food as a result of the pervasive hunger in the land occasioned by the anti-people policies of the APC administration.
PDP, in a statement by its spokesman, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said that the party is devastated that the APC-led administration has wrecked the once thriving economy and pushed millions of Nigerians deeper into abject poverty and hunger with many citizens, not being able to afford their daily meals, now resorting to suicide and desperate measures including slavery mission abroad and fighting for crumbs for survival.
“It is heartbreaking that despite our abundant resources as a nation, Nigerians have been subjected to agonizing life where they die struggling for food.
“This horrifying situation in the country further confirms the APC as a party of ‘political vampires and buccaneers,’ who have no iota of regard for human life but rather derive pleasure in the suffering and death of citizens including innocent children.
“Only this explains why the APC administration continues in arrogant false performance claims including empty assurances of food sufficiency while deliberately failing to make the required investments to boost the productive sector, particularly in agriculture and food production.
“This also explains why the APC administration has rejected all advice and suggestions by the PDP and other well-meaning Nigerians to review the hasty implementation of the suffocating policies of abrupt increase in the price of petroleum products and the floating of the Naira, despite the crippling consequences on the productive sector and life-discounting effect on the citizenry,” the party said.
Human Rights Activist Aisah Yesufu has lamented the level of poverty that Nigerians have been exposed to which is now pushing them to seek for survival at all cost.
In series of tweets in her official tweeter handle, she wrote “All of a sudden people are dying because of stampede at places they are sharing food. We will then come and say it is God’s will.
“With more disposable income and enabling environment many didn’t need these death traps called food sharing places to feed themselves and their families once upon a time.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has called on groups and organisers of similar events to ensure the involvement of security agencies as negligence on their part is criminal and would not be overlooked, as provided for in Sec. 196 of the Penal Code and Sec. 344 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The IGP, according to a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, encouraged members of the public who participate in such distributions to tread with caution and prioritise their safety, to avoid unforeseen calamities.
“The IGP has ordered the commissioners of the affected states to carry out thorough investigations into these ugly incidences for further legal actions,” the statement read.
On the same note, The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, on Saturday, also called for proper crowd management during distribution of charity to prevent stampedes and avoidable loss of lives.
She expressed grave concern that such tragic outcomes undermine the goodwill behind charity events.
The NEMA helmsman disclosed that all zonal territorial and operations offices of the agency have been activated to respond to emergencies and provide support to first responders.