• PDP accuses APC of inflicting widespread starvation• Desperation driving Nigerians to extremes in seek for meals, Obi warns• Idris: Try and hyperlink tragedies to President’s reforms ‘unfounded, disingenuous’• CNPP, CISLAC decry worsening deprivation, search pressing intervention• HURIWA knocks govt for ‘weaponising poverty’
Accusing fingers had been pointed at President Bola Tinubu and the insurance policies of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) authorities yesterday, as critics claimed they had been liable for the latest lethal stampedes that prompted the dying of dozens throughout the nation.
The Federal Authorities, by means of Minister of Data and Nationwide Orientation Mohammed Idris, nevertheless, appealed to politicians and stakeholders to desist from politicising the incidents, stating that they weren’t linked to President Tinubu’s financial reforms.
“It’s value noting that related unlucky occurrences have been recorded previously, earlier than the present administration. As such, any try to hyperlink these tragedies to the President’s reforms is unfounded and disingenuous,” Idris stated in a press release issued by his Particular Assistant on Media, Rabiu Ibrahim.
He reassured Nigerians that the reforms had been designed to uplift all residents, significantly the susceptible, with out inflicting misery, and are geared toward fostering sustainable financial progress.
“Our ideas and prayers are with the victims, their households, and all these affected by these unlucky incidents,” the minister stated.
On Thursday, December 19, 2024, a stampede at a Christmas funfair at Islamic Excessive College, Basorun, in Ibadan, Oyo State, claimed the lives of at the very least 35 youngsters and left six others critically injured.
Barely three days later, a second stampede occurred in Okija, Anambra State, throughout a rice distribution by the Obi Jackson Basis, ensuing within the deaths of at the very least 22 individuals, together with girls, youngsters, and the aged, with over 30 others injured.
On the identical day, a 3rd stampede befell in Abuja at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the place a crowd had gathered for a Christmas food-sharing occasion. Ten individuals, together with 4 youngsters, had been killed, and eight others had been injured.
Reacting, the Peoples Democratic Get together (PDP) described the rising incidents of meals stampedes throughout the nation as a grim reflection of the worsening ranges of poverty, starvation, and desperation amongst Nigerians.
In a press release by its nationwide publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP accused the APC administration of plunging Nigerians into unprecedented poverty by means of what it described as “anti-people insurance policies.”
“The APC-led administration has wrecked our once-thriving economic system and pushed tens of millions of Nigerians deeper into abject poverty and starvation. Many voters, unable to afford every day meals, are actually resorting to determined measures, together with slavery missions overseas and combating for crumbs to outlive,” the assertion learn.
The PDP lamented that regardless of Nigeria’s plentiful assets, the APC authorities has failed to deal with the plight of residents. “It’s heartbreaking that Nigerians are dying struggling for meals in a rustic blessed with monumental assets,” the occasion stated, accusing the APC of being a celebration of “political vampires and buccaneers” with no regard for human life.
The opposition occasion additionally criticised the federal government’s dealing with of financial insurance policies, together with the abrupt enhance in petrol costs and the floating of the naira, which it stated had crippled the productive sector and worsened the plight of residents.
In keeping with the PDP, the state of affairs is exacerbated by alleged large-scale corruption inside the APC-led administration, citing “large looting, price range padding, contract inflation, oil subsidy scams, palliative racketeering, and fraudulent programmes.”
The PDP referred to as for pressing measures to deal with the financial challenges and alleviate the struggling of Nigerians, urging the federal government to prioritise funding in agriculture and meals manufacturing to make sure meals safety.
Equally, a former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, expressed deep sorrow over the tragic lack of lives.
In a heartfelt assertion through his X-handle, Obi prolonged his condolences to the households of the victims and residents, the place the incidents occurred.
“I’m deeply saddened and distressed by the tragic lack of lives in determined searches for meals. Just a few days in the past, about 35 individuals, principally youngsters, misplaced their lives in a stampede at a Christmas Funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State. This morning, studies emerged of at the very least 10 individuals dropping their lives in Abuja whereas scrambling for palliatives, with many others injured. Now, I simply heard that about 19 extra lives had been misplaced in one other stampede in Okija, Anambra State, as individuals struggled to obtain meals gadgets,” Obi acknowledged.
Whereas acknowledging the efforts of organisers to offer palliatives to the poor, Obi described the incidents as stark reflections of the systemic failures plaguing the nation.
“The determined quest for survival in these harsh financial occasions has pushed our individuals to extremes of their seek for meals, typically at the price of their lives,” Obi lamented.
He questioned how a rustic wealthy in assets and fertile land continues to expertise widespread starvation and meals insecurity. “How can we clarify that in a nation blessed with plentiful assets, our individuals are dying of starvation in such numbers? How is it attainable that we can not feed our residents regardless of the huge, fertile lands our nation is endowed with? My coronary heart bleeds,” he added.
Obi commiserated with the affected households and prayed for power to bear the losses. He additionally prayed for the souls of the departed to relaxation in peace and for the swift restoration of the injured.
In the identical vein, the Convention of Nigeria Political Events (CNPP) voiced deep concern over the escalating starvation and struggling confronted by tens of millions of Nigerians, attributing these challenges to the Federal Authorities’s financial insurance policies.
The CNPP acknowledged that the lethal stampedes spotlight the pressing want for motion from the administration of President Tinubu.
In a press release issued by its Deputy Nationwide Publicity Secretary, James Ezema, the CNPP pressured that the present financial insurance policies have led to devastating short-term impacts, growing hardship for the populace.
The assertion, launched in Kaduna yesterday, referred to as on the federal government to prioritise the survival of residents earlier than the long-term advantages of ongoing reforms will be realised.
“It’s crucial that the federal and state governments prioritise the survival of its residents earlier than they’ll even start to benefit from the so-called long-term advantages of ongoing reforms,” Ezema acknowledged. “The fact is that Nigerians should be saved alive first; solely then can they contribute to the nation’s financial progress and improvement.”
The CNPP urged President Tinubu to right away rethink the pricing of petroleum merchandise, particularly following the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery. The group additionally referred to as for the discharge of crude oil to native refineries, together with Dangote Refinery, at a extremely subsidised charge for home consumption. In keeping with Ezema, this transfer would scale back gasoline costs and assist alleviate transportation prices and bills for manufacturing corporations counting on fuel-powered turbines.
The CNPP additional emphasised that pressing intervention is critical to deal with rising manufacturing prices, worsened by excessive power costs, the devaluation of the naira, and hovering petroleum costs. This, they argued, would assist ease the burden on Nigerians struggling to afford meals.
“If these points are usually not addressed, the growing value of manufacturing will proceed to complicate Nigeria’s financial woes,” Ezema warned. “The present trajectory threatens to push extra Nigerians into poverty and despair.”
The CNPP referred to as for a complete response from the Tinubu administration and state governments to deal with the plight of Nigerians. It urged the federal government to implement insurance policies that prioritise the welfare of the individuals, guaranteeing that no citizen is left behind within the quest for financial restoration.
Ezema concluded by stressing that the time for rhetoric had handed, urging the federal government to take decisive motion that displays the wants of the Nigerian individuals. “It’s time for tangible motion,” he stated.
Additionally, the Government Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Head of Transparency Worldwide-Nigeria, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, expressed concern over the rising desperation and starvation in Nigeria, blaming poor governance and insufficient responses to rising poverty ranges for latest tragic occasions.
Reacting to the stampedes, Rafsanjani described the incidents as heartbreaking indicators of extreme hardship.
“These incidents mirror the tough occasions Nigerians are going through underneath this administration,” he stated. “The federal government seems indifferent from the realities on the bottom and has failed to deal with the escalating poverty. Tragically, there are possible extra unreported incidents as starvation drives individuals to desperation.”
“These tragic occasions are avoidable however spotlight the depth of deprivation in our society,” Rafsanjani stated, urging the federal government to deal with meals insecurity and job creation.
He added that insecurity exacerbated the disaster, as farmers deserted crops attributable to violence. “The Tinubu administration should prioritise securing the nation and revitalising agriculture,” he stated, calling on state and native councils to help farming and cut back unemployment.
CISLAC additionally urged authorities to enhance planning for help distribution to make sure security and stop additional tragedies.
For its half, the Human Rights Writers Affiliation of Nigeria (HURIWA) stated it was gravely involved over the lethal stampedes, attributing the tragedies to the federal government’s failure to deal with worsening financial situations.
The advocacy group accused each federal and state governments of “weaponising poverty,” creating an setting the place determined residents threat their lives scrambling for requirements that had been as soon as reasonably priced.
HURIWA’s Nationwide Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, stated these incidents had been the results of extreme starvation and deprivation, exacerbated by skyrocketing inflation, poor financial insurance policies, and the weaponisation of poverty.
In keeping with Onwubiko, Nigerians are dying whereas dashing for staple meals that had been reasonably priced simply months in the past underneath the earlier administration. He highlighted the federal government’s failure to implement efficient financial insurance policies, which have pushed tens of millions into desperation.
“The Maitama incident, throughout a charitable outreach for the susceptible, claimed 10 lives and left eight others injured,” Onwubiko stated. “In Ibadan, 35 youngsters died at a faculty truthful organised by the Wings Basis and Agidigbo FM Radio, whereas the Anambra incident highlighted the hazards of poorly organised reduction efforts in a rustic with tens of millions dwelling in poverty.”
HURIWA additionally blamed the removing of gasoline subsidies with out enough compensation measures, worsening the price of dwelling and pushing many Nigerians into excessive poverty. The group famous that with over 133 million Nigerians categorized as multi-dimensionally poor, starvation and deprivation have reached unprecedented ranges.
“This authorities has turned poverty right into a weapon, making a state of affairs the place residents are dying to safe primary sustenance. This isn’t governance; it’s a tragedy,” HURIWA asserted.
The affiliation warned that the recurring stampedes mirror a deeper disaster in Nigeria’s socio-economic construction, stressing that the nation is dangerously near changing into a failed state. It criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for implementing insurance policies which have worsened the financial state of affairs.
MEANWHILE, Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Discussion board (SGF) and Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, expressed his condolences to the governments and other people of Oyo, Anambra, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following the tragic lack of lives.
In his messages of sympathy to Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Charles Soludo of Anambra, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Prince Abiodun expressed his sorrow over the lack of harmless lives, noting that the deaths occurred within the pursuit of primary survival wants.
Acknowledging the prevailing financial challenges, the SGF Chairman affirmed that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alongside different ranges of presidency, is working in the direction of bettering the dwelling situations of Nigerians.
Prince Abiodun urged all residents to train warning and cling to safety protocols throughout palliative distribution occasions to forestall additional tragedies.
“Deaths corresponding to these diminish us as a individuals. These disasters occurred throughout a time when households all over the world are in a festive and joyous temper. It’s certainly tragic,” he stated.
On behalf of himself and the individuals of Ogun State, the governor commiserated along with his fellow governors and the households of the victims, providing prayers for the souls of the departed.
“Might the souls of the departed relaxation in peace,” Governor Abiodun added.
Significantly, Governor Soludo expressed condolences to the households of those that misplaced their lives in Okija.
In a press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, Soludo stated he was deeply saddened by the tragic incident, which claimed the lives of girls, together with nursing moms, pregnant girls, the aged, and kids.
Soludo urged philanthropists and humanitarian organisations to prioritise the protection of beneficiaries throughout reduction distribution actions. He referred to as for higher organisation, decentralisation, and enough crowd management measures to forestall such tragedies sooner or later.
“It’s important to contemplate the varied age demographics and undertake a structured strategy to minimise overcrowding and guarantee orderliness throughout such actions,” Soludo suggested.
This got here because the Lagos State Authorities cautioned organisers of charity actions and occasions to make sure correct security measures are in place to forestall tragic incidents, warning that negligence may result in prison prosecution.
Talking at a press briefing yesterday, the Commissioner for Data and Technique, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, emphasised the necessity for organisers of occasions with over 250 contributors to register with the Lagos State Security Fee.
Omotoso famous that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is deeply involved about latest tragic incidents linked to charity occasions throughout the nation and is set to forestall related occurrences in Lagos.
“Irrespective of the kind of occasion, organisers should seek the advice of the state Security Fee,” Omotoso acknowledged, including that every one emergency companies in Lagos have been positioned on excessive alert to make sure public security.
Additionally, the Ondo State Authorities launched new measures to boost security and stop related incidents.
Issuing directives on crowd management, the state authorities pressured the significance of safeguarding lives at public gatherings.
In a press release, the state’s Commissioner for Justice and Lawyer-Common, Kayode Ajulo, introduced the rules, codified as Directive No. 01-1224. These measures, he stated, are designed to control public gatherings and guarantee enough crowd administration.
Ajulo defined, “The directives are grounded within the powers vested within the Lawyer Common underneath Part 195 of the Structure of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Sections 62 and 95 of the Administration of Prison Justice Regulation of Ondo State 2015, and Sections 2 and 4 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.”
Key provisions of the rules embrace necessary notification to authorities earlier than any public occasion. Regulation enforcement companies will conduct thorough threat assessments, contemplating elements like anticipated attendance, venue, and potential safety challenges.
Ajulo added, “Crowd administration groups will monitor occasions, addressing any points that come up, with clear communication channels established between organisers and regulation enforcement. Surveillance instruments corresponding to drones and CCTV cameras might also be deployed to observe crowd dynamics in actual time.”
The Lawyer-Common additional urged organisers to teach the general public on security protocols, promote peaceable meeting, and discourage illegal behaviour. Emergency response plans may also be developed, with personnel educated to deal with incidents successfully.
“These measures are usually not meant to curtail residents’ rights to peaceable meeting however to prioritise public security and stop avoidable tragedies,” Ajulo acknowledged.
Reacting, the Christian Affiliation of Nigeria (CAN) expressed deep sorrow over the tragic lack of lives and accidents throughout a meals distribution stampede on the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday morning.
In a press release issued yesterday in Abuja, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, prolonged condolences to the Catholic Church and the households of the victims. He described the incident as a heartbreaking reminder of the necessity for a society the place each citizen feels secure and valued.
“We’re disturbed by the tragic occasions at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama on Saturday morning,” Okoh stated. “At the least 10 individuals, together with youngsters, misplaced their lives in a stampede whereas in search of assist from the church. This tragedy is not only statistics; it represents actual households who’re hurting. Every individual misplaced was somebody’s beloved member of the family.”
The CAN President lamented that the occasion, meant to offer help to susceptible people, become a catastrophe, leaving a heavy emotional toll on the group. He referred to as on Nigerians to honour the reminiscence of the victims by committing to a future marked by hope, security, and mutual care.
He additionally highlighted related tragic incidents inside the similar week, underscoring the pressing want for higher crowd administration throughout charitable occasions.
“On December 18, throughout a Christmas funfair at a faculty in Ibadan, a stampede claimed the lives of 35 youngsters, with six others critically injured. Just a few days later, one other stampede occurred throughout a rice distribution occasion in Anambra State, leaving at the very least 22 individuals lifeless and 32 injured,” Okoh stated.
He pressured that these incidents are troubling patterns that demand rapid consideration to enhance security protocols and stop additional tragedies.
Okoh urged Nigerians to point out compassion and solidarity throughout this era of grief. “It’s essential that we hear to 1 one other, share our emotions, and provide assist in any means we will. This can be a time for compassion and understanding as we assist each other heal,” he stated.
The CAN President prayed for everlasting relaxation for the departed souls and luxury for grieving households, calling on Nigerians to unite in kindness and shared humanity throughout this difficult time.
The Home of Representatives referred to as for the event of complete tips for crowd management and administration.
Chairman of the Home Committee on Emergency and Catastrophe Preparedness, Joseph Bassey, made the enchantment in a press release yesterday, stressing the necessity for stakeholders organising charity occasions to prioritise participant security to forestall additional tragedies.
Bassey described the occasions as alarming, highlighting the pressing want for strong security measures throughout large-scale charity actions.
Whereas recognising the efforts of charitable organisations, people, and authorities initiatives to offer help to susceptible populations in the course of the festive season, he emphasised that such tragedies underscore a “essential want for strong crowd administration methods to forestall additional lack of lives and to make sure public security.”
“In mild of those occasions, the Committee calls upon residents and related authorities companies, particularly state and native council emergency administration authorities, to right away develop and situation complete tips for emergency and catastrophe preparedness,” Bassey stated.
He really helpful that the rules embrace clear protocols for crowd management at occasions with greater than 20 beneficiaries to make sure organisers, safety personnel, and first responders are adequately ready for unexpected circumstances.
“The Home Committee stresses the significance of early engagement with professionals in crowd administration and encourages organisers to collaborate with safety companies to keep away from pointless dangers. All stakeholders concerned should prioritise participant security to forestall additional tragedies,” he added.
Bassey assured Nigerians that the committee is dedicated to working with stakeholders to implement legislative interventions and preventive measures.
He reiterated the Home’s dedication to partnering with authorities companies, emergency providers, and different organisations to implement security protocols and mitigate dangers at future occasions.
Relatedly, former President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday expressed condolences to President Bola Tinubu over the latest stampedes.
In a press release made obtainable to the Information Company of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Buhari additionally prolonged his sympathies to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra, and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.
The previous president urged the leaders to convey his phrases of consolation and help to the households and associates of the victims, whereas wishing these injured within the incidents a speedy restoration.
Buhari additionally sympathised with the Catholic group, which was affected by the tragedies, and prayed for power and solace for all these impacted.
This was as Vice President Kashim Shettima described the stampedes as a nationwide tragedy, providing prayers and pledging Federal Authorities help for the bereaved households.
Expressing deep sorrow, Shettima stated, “I’m extraordinarily saddened by these tragic incidents which have claimed harmless lives. My prayers and ideas are with the grieving households of all victims, together with those that sustained accidents and are present process therapy.
“I’m significantly distraught by the truth that so many lives of Nigerians, particularly youngsters, have been misplaced in stampedes that might have been prevented by means of correct planning and organisation. This isn’t only a loss for particular person states; it’s a loss for your complete nation. Might the Almighty God grant everlasting relaxation to the souls of the departed.”
The Vice President additional assured affected households of the Federal Authorities’s dedication to offering mandatory help, including, “We stand able to help the bereaved households by means of this tough interval, and no effort shall be spared in offering the mandatory help they want.
“We’ve directed related companies to offer rapid help to affected households. To these at the moment receiving therapy in numerous hospitals, their restoration is our precedence, and we are going to stand with them by means of this difficult time.”
