How Hunger Ended 70 Lives In 3 Days

Within three days, Nigeria witnessed three heart-wrenching stampedes at events originally meant to bring joy and relief to families finding it difficult to celebrate the Yuletide season as a result of the harsh economy which has brought hunger and a daily fight for survival by citizens.

First, it was the Ibadan carnival organised on December 18, 2024, at the Bashorun District Islamic High School to provide the much anticipated and advertised cash handouts and food to 5,000 children.

However, things went awry and sadly, and the event turned tragic as crowds overwhelmed the occasion resulting in a stampede that led to the death of no fewer than 35 children, with six in critical condition battling for their lives.

Same day tragedies

Three days later, on Saturday, December 21, 2024, two more incidents, which claimed no fewer than 35 lives, followed: One at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, during a food distribution for the less privileged, and another in Okija, Anambra State, where palliatives were being shared to ease the burdens of the economy this Yuletide season.

The annual distribution of rice convened by a son of the town and philanthropist Chief Ernest Obiejesi aka Obi Jackson in Okija town of Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State turned tragic resulting in the loss of 22 lives and about 32 injured.

Also, the annual Christmas food sharing event by the Saint Vincent De Paul Society at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja, led to the tragic death of six children and four adults, with scores left injured.

Abuja incident

The annual food sharing event by the Church in Abuja usually attracts the less privileged from Mpape, Gishiri and other neighbouring settlements, however, unlike previous years the crowd of people that trooped to the church for the event panicked for fear that the food items may not get to them.

An eyewitness, who described the Abuja Catholic church scene as chaotic and tragic, noted that many people arrived at the venue as early as 4am, hoping to secure their share of the palliatives before the stampede occurred between 7am and 8am, when the crowd surged.

According to him: “10 people died, including children. We just received a call that they have passed on. Over 3,000 people came out to receive the palliatives. It’s unfortunate. Some of them arrived as early as 4am. Most of those present were residents of Mpape, Gishiri Village, and other nearby settlements.”

Archbishop condoles

Condoling with the church and families who lost their loved ones during the stampede, Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, expressed shock over the tragic outcome of what should have been an occasion of joyful giving.

“It is with profound shock and sadness that I, on behalf of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, mourn the tragic loss of lives and those injured at the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s food sharing event at Holy Trinity Parish, Maitama, Abuja,” said the clergyman. Speaking further he said: “This great tragedy, which claimed the lives of over 10 people, is a devastating blow to our community.

“The St. Vincent de Paul Society’s selfless efforts to support the poor and vulnerable in our midst are a testament to the Catholic church’s commitment to serving the least among us. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased and injured.

May God grant them the strength and comfort they need during this difficult time. “Let us come together as a community to pray for the souls of the departed, for the healing of the injured, and for the consolation of all those affected by this tragedy.”

Minister’s directives

Reacting to the unfortunate incident and seeking solutions to ensure there was no repeat, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has directed that police permission should henceforth be obtained by individuals or organisations planning public distribution of palliatives, either food items or cash.

Wike in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said it was painful that lives were lost in the stampede.

Commiserating with victims of the stampede and commending the swift response of the FCT Police Command and other security agencies for their prompt interventions, he further directed government hospitals to treat those that were injured in the stampede free of charge.

FCT Police Command

To prevent future occurrences, the FCT Police Command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh announced that: “To prevent such tragic incidents in the future, the Command has mandated that all organisations, religious bodies, groups, or individuals planning public events, charitable activities, or large gatherings in the FCT must notify the Police Command in advance.

“Failure to comply with this directive will result in the organisers being held liable for any incidents or loss of life resulting from negligence.”

While the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, expressed deep concern about the stampede and loss of lives in some parts of the country, directing a stop to what he described as, “unauthorised” distribution of palliatives, to avoid reoccurrence of such incidents. A statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, reads in part:

“The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has raised serious concerns about the unorganised distribution of palliatives and relief items in the country during this festive period.

“This trend is worrisome and calls for urgent concerns to save the lives of citizens of this country, especially the vulnerable youths and the elderly. This warning follows a series of tragic incidents that highlight the urgent need for a more structured and effective approach to delivering aid to vulnerable communities and members of the public in general.

“The IGP emphasised the dangers posed to public safety during these unorganised distributions and funfairs set up by groups, individuals and NGOs, including the potential for stampedes and other incidents that could endanger lives.

“The lack of a well-defined plan for distributing palliatives has resulted in chaos, leading to long lines and unnecessary confrontations among citizens seeking assistance.

“In light of these developments, the IGP has called on government officials, community leaders, and non-governmental organisations to work collaboratively towards establishing a comprehensive and organised framework for distributing palliatives.

“The IGP has hereby warned 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.

“In addition, the IGP has encouraged the general public who would want to benefit from such distributions to tread with caution, prioritising their safety, to avoid unforeseen calamities.

“The Nigeria Police Force reiterates its commitment to supporting efforts aimed at creating a safer and more structured environment for aid distribution in our communities. Collaborating with relevant stakeholders, the Force aims to prevent future tragedies and ensure such processes are seamless.

“The IGP has ordered the Commissioners of the affected states to carry out thorough investigations into these ugly incidents for further legal actions. The Inspector-General of Police therefore sympathises with the bereaved families and wishes those injured quick recovery.”

Reactions

The incidents have left many Nigerians angry, sad and calling out the government for what they said could have been avoided if the authorities had done what was necessary to prevent the incidents.

According to Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, hunger and systemic failures were some of the factors responsible for the recent spate of stampedes in a country blessed with abundant resources but have its people dying of hunger in high numbers

“While I will not cast blame, but instead appreciate the organisers 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,” he noted. Continuing he said:

“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 is it possible that we cannot feed our citizens despite the vast, fertile lands our nation is endowed with?

My heart bleeds. “One can only imagine the pain their families are enduring at this moment. My heart goes out to them.” He also wished the “injured recover swiftly.” Also, a presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, Obiageli Ezekwesili, lamented that the stampedes signalled the gravity and scale of economic distress in the country.

Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education, was saddened that Nigerians have become victims of widespread poverty, especially among low and peripheral middle-income families According to her: “The serial losses of several children who went in search of free food should send the strongest message yet to all self-indulgent ‘leaders’ in Nigeria’s public offices.

“My heart cries out for the families of the victims of the three stampedes that occurred during charity food distribution events in Ibadan, Okija in Anambra State, and Abuja. “Nothing in recent times has signalled the gravity and scale of economic distress in our land more than these similar tragedies in a season of celebration.

“I feel sad for the well-intended organisers of the three programmes across the country who grossly underestimated the scale of beneficiaries that would show up in this season of famine in our land. And then, of course, our weak emergency response system that has often failed to mitigate tragedies.

“These serial losses of several of our children who went in search of free food should send the strongest message yet to all self-indulgent ‘leaders’ in Nigeria’s public offices.

But will they hear?” On his part, Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, described the tragedies as unfortunate and called for a comprehensive investigation to prevent similar occurrences. He also stressed the need for heightened vigilance and safety measures during the Yuletide festivities.

Further proposing solutions to prevent future tragedies, The Publisher of Emporium Reporters Online, Lukman Babalola, advised the government to mandate comprehensive safety measures for large gatherings including crowd barriers, emergency exits, and trained personnel.

He also called for pre-registration or ticketing systems to help manage crowd size and control attendance, engagement of trained security personnel or professional crowd managers to prevent chaos, public awareness campaigns on the importance of orderly behaviour to help prevent panic and chaos, as well as long-term efforts to address poverty and social inequality to reduce the desperation that often leads to dangerous situations at such events.

In all three incidents, it is obvious that desperation, poor planning, and panic led the people who were hungry and out to seize every opportunity for support, surged, fought and scrambled to ensure they didn’t miss out on the golden opportunity.

Source: New Telegraph