News in Brief:
– The Inspector-General of Police in Nigeria has issued a warning against unorganised palliative distributions and funfairs following multiple deadly stampedes across the country.
– He urged collaboration among stakeholders to establish a well-structured framework for aid distribution and emphasised the importance of involving security agencies to ensure public safety.
Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun has issued a stern warning against the unorganised distribution of palliatives and relief items. The police boss cited recent tragic incidents across the country as a reason behind the warning.
Multiple deaths by stampede
In the past few days, several stampedes during palliative distributions and a children’s funfair have resulted in numerous fatalities.
On December 18th, 35 children died in a stampede at a children’s funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State. Also, 10 people lost their lives in a stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, during a food distribution event. Again, in Okija, Anambra State, at least 3 people died in a stampede at a palliative distribution organised by a philanthropist.
Effectively, the IGP noted the grave dangers posed by these unorganised events, including the risk of stampedes, injuries, and potential loss of life.
He criticised the lack of proper planning and coordination in these distributions, leading to chaos and potential conflicts among beneficiaries.
Call for collaborations
Subsequently, the IGP urged government officials, community leaders, and NGOs to collaborate and establish a well-structured framework for distributing aid. Additionally, he stressed the importance of involving security agencies in all such events to ensure public safety.
Furthermore, the police chief warned that negligence on the part of organisers will be treated as a criminal offence under relevant sections of the Nigerian Penal Code. He advised the public to exercise extreme caution when participating in such events. This he stated was to prioritise their safety and avoid situations that could lead to unforeseen calamities.
Investigations ordered
Egbetokun has directed the Commissioners of Police in the affected states to conduct thorough investigations into these incidents and take necessary legal action.
Meantime, President Bola Tinubu cancelled all his official events in Lagos due to the tragedies. He commiserated with the victims while urging relevant authorities to enforce crowd control measures in such events.
