At least 213 Nigerians lost their lives to separate stampedes in the last 11 years, investigations by Daily Trust have revealed.
Majority of those incidents were recorded during distributions of food items.
There were also instances of stampedes during recruitment exercises and religious activities.
In the last six days, stampedes during food distributions killed about 72 lives in Ibadan, Oyo State; Okija community, Anambra State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
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About 40 children lost their lives to a stampede at the Islamic High School in Bashorun, Ibadan, on Wednesday during a funfair organised by an ex-queen of the Ooni of Ife, Naomi Shikemi.
The Abuja and Anambra’s stampedes happened on Saturday. Ten persons reportedly died in the former; and 22 in the latter. Several others were said to be injured.
A mother of one of the victims of the Ibadan stampede, who simply identified herself as Mrs. Oniyide, said: “I did not know that anyone was sharing anything, my child, 10 years old, Aina, did not tell me. No one told me. She went hawking as she normally hawks ogi (corn pap) for me every morning. We found her body in one of the hospitals very late at night.”
Similarly, some relatives of the victims of the stampede in Okija community, spoke to Daily Trust yesterday about the incident.
A local government officer, Michael Obi, said his cousin “left our house in the morning with others and never came back. When we heard about the stampede, we thought it was a minor issue, but we never imagined we would be among the victims. It is a sad thing to talk about, but we believe that God is the giver of life, and He takes it when it pleases Him.”
He said his cousin was supposed to travel to her maternal home for Christmas, but decided to wait for the annual Obiejesi rice distribution.
Also speaking, Mrs. Margaret Edozie, who lost her son, said: “How can a mother bury her son under these circumstances? This is painful and devastating. Our Christmas has turned into a tragedy.”
A witness, Peter Uche, said, “If the people had been patient and behaved in an orderly manner, there would have been no need for the rush and the resulting stampede. There was enough rice that could have got to everyone present.
“Instead, some people, rather than take one bag, tried to carry multiple bags. As a result, the weaker ones became victims. This is tragic.”
A survivor of the Abuja stampede, narrated: “I was here as early as 4:30am to collect rice, but people started forcing their way instead of queuing. This led to chaos. I had to step aside when I noticed it was becoming something else.”
A doctor at Maitama District Hospital, Abuja, where the injured victims were admitted, said six of them were discharged on Saturday; while two were still undergoing treatment.
“Hopefully, the two victims left will be discharged on Monday or Tuesday. They are responding well to treatment,” he said.
Past stampedes
Checks by Daily Trust showed that 213 persons died in stampedes in parts of the country from 2013 to 2024.
In 2024 alone, seven stampedes related to food distributions were recorded, killing about 96 Nigerians.
Before the Ibadan, Anambra and Abuja incidents, at least seven people died in a stampede during the distribution of seized bags of rice by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in February 2024, in Yaba, Lagos. The rice, said to be seized from smugglers, was distributed to ease the economic hardship, with a 25kg bag sold to interested Nigerians for N10, 000.
In March this year, seven people were reported dead and several others injured in a stampede during the annual zakat exercise at Shafa Holdings Company Plc on Jos Road in Bauchi.
Nine persons reportedly died and 30 others injured in a stampede in April 2024 during the distribution of palliatives at the residence of Senator Aliyu Wamakko in the Gawon Nama area of Sokoto State.
On March 22, 2024, two female students of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, reportedly died in a stampede that occurred at the university’s convocation square.
On March 15, 2014, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) nationwide recruitment exercise led to stampedes after job seekers stormed test centres in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Minna and Benin City, killing at least 16 persons of them.
On November 2, 2013, no fewer than 25 people died and 200 others were injured during a stampede that occurred at Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry in Uke, Idemili South LGA of Anambra state.
On October 16, 2013, a stampeded during the annual Eid-el-Fitr food distribution exercise in Ilorin, Kwara State, by former Senate President Bukola Saraki led to the death of 20 people and several others injured.
In Lagos on August 18, 2022, two people died and many others were injured in a stampede during a crusade at the Comfort Life Mission International Church located in the Ikotun.
On May 28, 2022, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at least 31 persons were confirmed dead in a stampede at the venue during a food distribution programme tagged “Shop for Free”, organised by the King’s Assembly.
In February 2020, 23 people were reported killed in a stampede that occurred when officials of the Borno State Government distributed food items to Nigerian refugees living in Niger Republic.
Incidents a national tragedy- Shettima
Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday described the latest stampedes as a national tragedy.
In his condolence message signed by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, the vice president expressed deep sorrow over the losses and offered prayers and heartfelt condolences.
He assured affected families that the federal government would provide necessary support during this difficult period.
He said, “We stand ready to support the bereaved families through this difficult period, and no effort will be spared in providing the necessary assistance they need.
“We have directed relevant agencies to provide immediate support to affected families. To those currently receiving treatment in various hospitals, their recovery is our priority, and we will stand with them through this challenging time.”
Minister issues advisory on public events during the yuletide
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, yesterday expressed sympathy with the families of those who lost their lives in the recent stampedes.
In a statement by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim, the minister said the tragedy underscores the importance of ensuring proper crowd management during such charitable activities, especially in the festive season.
He admonished all individuals and organizations planning similar events to comply with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, on liaising with the police formations for effective crowd control and security measures.
Idris appealed to politicians and other stakeholders to refrain from politicizing the incidents, stressing that those tragic events were in no way connected to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s economic reforms.
PDP, Falana, CISLAC blame hunger, poverty
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday described stampedes during food distributions in the country as a testament of the “alarming level of misery, poverty, hunger, starvation, sense of hopelessness and desperation for survival currently plaguing our nation under All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.”
In a statement, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, said: “It is heart-breaking that despite our abundant resources as a nation, Nigerians have been subjected to agonizing life where they die struggling for food.”
Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, in a statement yesterday, attributed the recent stampedes to poverty and criminal negligence, called for justice for the deceased and injured victims.
Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said the incidents were heart-breaking as they were reflections of the severe hardship Nigerians were enduring.
He said the “avoidable” incidents highlighted the depth of hunger and deprivation in the society.
He asked governments to prioritise policies that tackle poverty and inequality, and ensure the safety and dignity of citizens during public aid and relief programmes.
Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, condoled with the families of the deceased and called for a more structured and safer approach to distributing such assistance.
He advised that future distributions of relief materials be conducted in a more organised and decentralised manner with adequate crowd control measures in place.
It’s time for compassion – CAN
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday expressed sorrow over the recent stampedes in the country.
Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President of CAN, in a statement, said: “This tragedy is not just statistics; it represents real families who are hurting. Each person lost was someone’s beloved family member.
“These heart-breaking incidents highlight the challenges of managing large crowds during charitable events.
“This is a time for compassion and understanding as we help one another heal. As we reflect on these devastating events, we invite all Nigerians to come together with kindness and understanding.
A former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has urged the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, not to politicise the recent stampedes in some parts of the country, saying doing so amounted to politicising the people’s tragedy.
Obi had last week described the Ibadan stampede as a reflection of the nation’s systemic failure.
Omokri, on his X handle, said: “One would have expected Mr Peter Obi to have condoled with the families and moved on.”
‘Donors must register with Lagos govt’
The Lagos State Government yesterday warned prospective donors’ managers in the state to ensure strict compliance to safety measures during this yuletide season and beyond.
Speaking at a joint press conference organised by both the state’s Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations and Ministry of Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, called on event organisers to make adequate preparation on crowd control before embarking on any philanthropic gestures and events to forestall stampedes.
He said henceforth, individuals, religious and corporate bodies that wish to hold any form of event in the state must register with the Lagos State Safety Commission or face the full wrath of the law.
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