No fewer than 75 alms seeking Nigerians lost their lives to stampede in the last four days, drawing outrage across the country.
Newspot reports that due to the economic hardship bedeviling the citizens, every almsgiving event in the country has been attracting mammoth crowds, leading to deadly stampedes.
In the past four days, the country has recorded three incidents of stampedes that claimed the lives of vulnerable Nigerians during distribution of food and some other items by individuals, organizations and religious bodies.
40 children killed in Ibadan as funfair turns bloody
It was a tragic event at the Islamic High School in Bashorun, on Wednesday, December 18 when about 40 children who turned up for free food at a funfair organized by ex-Queen of Ooni of Ife, Prophetess Naomi Shikemi were stampeded to death.
According to the Oyo State Police Command, about 35 dead bodies of the minors were recovered from the incident scene, while six others in critical condition were hospitalized.
The death toll, however, on Friday, December 20 jumped to 40 after some of the victims, who were severely injured, gave up the ghost.
Naomi, the principal organizer and about seven others involved in the sponsorship of the event were arrested and detained by the police on Friday as investigations to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident commenced.
Over 20 persons die in stampede during rice sharing in Anambra community
It was a black Saturday in Okija community, Anambra State following the sad incident of stampede that claimed the lives of at least 20 persons, who gathered for rice sharing.
The Obijackson Foundation had in its cherished tradition aimed at supporting the less privileged during the Yuletide season, decided to share rice to residents of the community.
However, the unprecedented crowd at the event and the struggle to get a share of the rice meant to be distributed, led to the stampede.
Aside from those already confirmed dead, several others are still in critical condition, Newspot gathered.
Over 15 alms seekers die in Abuja church during food distribution
The Federal Capital Territory, FCT also had its share of the ugly trend on Saturday when about 15 residents seeking alms were stampeded to death at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama area of the nation’s capital.
Although the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh told Newspot that 10 dead bodies, including four children and six adults were recovered, eyewitnesses said there were more than 15 casualties.
When Newspot visited the scene, it gathered that while the church expected less than a thousand residents for the distribution, over two thousand showed up.
An eyewitness identified simply as Jennifer, told our correspondent that “everything was going on fine when the program started.
“All of a sudden, a large number of people began to enter the venue. People will come and start calling their families and friends to come and join the queue.
“The whole issue started when the organizers lost control of the crowd and everybody wanted to get their own share”.
As at the time of visiting the area, the operatives of the FCT Police Command had taken over the scene, preventing people from gaining entrance.
One of the security operatives said the presence of the officers were to ensure that hoodlums do not take advantage of the incident to vandalize church properties.
Nigerians blame Tinubu’s government
Irked by the three tragic events that happened in rapid succession, concerned Nigerians on Saturday berated the administration of President Bola Tinubu, accusing it of imposing hardship on the people.
They attributed the incidents to the untoward economic downturn bedeviling the nation at the moment.
Nigeria is in trouble – Sowore
Human rights activist and convener of #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore said in a chat with Newspot that the three incidents showed that “Nigeria is currently in trouble”.
He said Nigerians have not been the same since President Tinubu took over power on May 29 2023, stressing that the “debilitating economic destruction” by the current administration caused the stampedes.
He urged “Nigerians to be ready for revolution if they want to take their country back”.
Tinubu turned Nigeria into massive grave – Aisha Yesufu
A socio-political activist, Aisha Yesufu while reacting to the unfortunate incidents, accused President Tinubu of turning the “whole of Nigeria into a massive grave.”
In a post on her X microblogging platform, the Labour Party chieftain opined that Tinubu should be held responsible for the ugly developments.
She wrote: “Godswill Akpabio will dare come and tell us that president Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transformed Abuja and other Nigerian cities to London.
“Tinubu has turned the whole of Nigeria into a massive grave.”
It’s sign of gravity of economic distress in Nigeria – Ezekwesili
Also speaking on the matter, former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, said that the recurring stampedes signaled the gravity and scale of economic distress in the country.
Ezekwesili maintained that “Nigerians have become victims of widespread food poverty, especially among low and peripheral middle income families.”
In a post on her X handle, she wrote, “My heart cries out for the families of victims of the 3 stampedes that occurred during charity food distribution events in Ibadan, Okija in Anambra State and Abuja.
“Nothing in recent times has signaled the gravity and scale of economic distress in our land than these similar tragedies in a season of celebration”.
My heart bleeds – Peter Obi laments
Also reacting, the 2023 Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, expressed sadness, stating that Nigerians were desperately in search of survival due to the harsh economic situation.
In a statement, Obi lamented that despite the fertile lands, Nigeria is unable to feed itself due to poor leadership.
“The desperate quest for survival in these harsh economic times has driven our people to extremes in their search for food, often at the cost of their lives.
“How do we explain that in a nation blessed with abundant resources, our people are dying of hunger in such numbers? How is it possible that we cannot feed our citizens despite the vast, fertile lands our nation is endowed with? My heart bleeds”, he said.
Ibadan, Anambra, Abuja stampede call for empathy not blame game – APC founding member, Osita
In an exclusive interview with Newspot, Mr Osita Okechukwu, one of the founding fathers of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said the developments called for empathy not blame game.
The immediate past Director General of Voice of Nigeria, VON, however, said the country’s economic policies must be rejiged to “make the people’s interests central to choices being made”.
“The tragedy that happened across our country called for empathy and not playing blame games.
“On the issue of the dysfunctional state of affairs, we’re all culpable.
“We all succumbed to the neoliberal policy of the government that has no business in government and that the private sector will drive our economy.
“As far back as 1986 we collectively adopted this nebulous economic policy which pauperised and impoverished our people.
“We must rejige our economic policy and make the people’s interests central to choices being made”.
Mr Osita also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, asking them to “take solace on the truism that Almighty God gives life and takes at his will”.
No charitable activities should happen in FCT without police awareness – FCT command warns
SP Josephine Adeh told our correspondent that to avoid reoccurrence of stampede in the nation’s capital, all organizations, religious bodies, groups, or individuals planning public events, charitable activities “must inform the command ahead of their events”.
According to her, the decision was to ensure that adequate security measures are taken before any charitable activities to “prevent avoidable tragedies and ensure public safety”.
The PPRO said that “failure to comply with the directive will result in the organizers being held liable for any incidents or loss of life resulting from negligence”.
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