At least 65 Nigerians, including both children and adults, have died in stampedes during the distribution of foodstuffs across the country within the last one week,
The tragedies are attributed to widespread hunger and the harsh economic realities following federal government policies.
In December 2024 alone, 65 people have died at palliative distribution venues due to stampedes as desperate individuals struggle to obtain a cup of rice to feed their families.
On 18 December 2024, 35 children tragically lost their lives during a stampede at a Christmas funfair in Ibadan that spiralled out of control.
Again, on 21 December 2024, another stampede occurred in Abuja at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, resulting in at least 10 deaths, including four children.
On the same day, a similar tragedy unfolded in Anambra, where 20 people lost their lives during a food distribution exercise.
These incidents echo a similar tragedy on 15 March 2014, when seven people were killed and 40 others injured in a stampede at the entrance gate of the Abuja National Stadium. The incident occurred during the Nigeria Immigration Service aptitude test and physical examination for applicants who chose the Federal Capital Territory as their centre.
Retired Commissioner of Police Lawrence Alobi, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that tragedies were due to poor planning and a lack of crowd control measures on the part of the organisers.
He described the fatalities as avoidable and resulting from inadequate crisis control and management.
“If people are invited to come for palliatives, there should be proper planning for entry and exit. Crowds must be controlled, and organisers should prepare for potential stampedes. When there is only one exit point and a stampede occurs, it becomes a disaster,” Alobi said.
He advised that organisers notify the police and plan thoroughly for such events, including adequate entry and exit points.
While noting that no law mandates organisers to inform security agencies of such initiatives, he emphasised the importance of deploying security personnel to manage crowds and prevent tragedies.
“They should organise and move people in an orderly manner, rather than allowing a free-for-all. Proper planning is essential, including securing the venue, estimating the number of attendees, and, if necessary, decentralising the distribution into smaller groups to reduce crowd density. Palliatives are meant to solve problems, not create them,” he stated.
Alobi criticised the negligence of organisers and called for accountability.
“These stampedes result from a lack of holistic planning for crowd control before embarking on such initiatives. Organisers must take responsibility for their actions,” he said.
