The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, extends his heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the tragic stampedes that occurred during food distribution exercises in Ibadan, Abuja, and Okija.
In a statement issued to the press yesterday in Abuja, the Special Assistant (Media) to the minister Rabiu Ibrahim,
Idris said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by these unfortunate incidents.”
The minister expressed that the tragedies are profoundly saddening and highlighted the importance of ensuring proper crowd management during such charitable activities, especially during the festive season.
While acknowledging the noble intentions of organisers seeking to relieve vulnerable members of society, the minister strongly urges all individuals and organisations planning similar events to liaise with the police and other law enforcement agencies for effective crowd control and security measures.
He emphasised that collaboration with law enforcement agencies is crucial to safeguarding lives and ensuring that such efforts to assist those in need do not inadvertently lead to further distress.
Furthermore, the minister appealed to politicians and other stakeholders to refrain from politicising the unfortunate incidents, stressing that these tragic events are in no way connected to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s economic reforms.
“It is important to note that similar unfortunate occurrences have happened in the past, before the current administration. Therefore, any attempt to link these tragedies to the President’s reforms is unfounded and disingenuous,” he said.
Idris stated that the reforms, while repositioning the Nigerian economy for sustainable growth, are designed to uplift the lives of all Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable, without causing distress.
The minister called for a collective sense of responsibility and urged citizens to unite to ensure that the Yuletide season is marked by peace, goodwill, and joy, free from preventable tragedies.
