President Bola Tinubu has cancelled all his official events in Lagos, including his attendance at the 2024 Lagos Boat Regatta in honour of the stampede victims in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital and Okija, Anambra State.
He also directed relevant authorities to enforce strict crowd control measures immediately.
Commiserating with the victims of the unfortunate incidents in Anambra and the Federal Capital Territory, President Tinubu in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday urged States to deploy crowd control measures.
The President noted that it was very disturbing that the events at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, and a community Centre in Okija, Anambra State, bore a distressing resemblance to the recent incident in Ibadan, Oyo State.
He said local and state authorities should no longer tolerate operational lapses by organisations and corporate bodies involved in charitable and humanitarian activities.
President Tinubu reiterated that the mishaps are avoidable if event planners adhere to necessary safeguards and protocols to ensure pre- and post-event safety.
”In a season of joy and celebration, we grieve with fellow citizens mourning the painful losses of their loved ones. Our prayers of divine comfort and healing are with them,” President Tinubu said.
President Tinubu was scheduled to watch the boat parade and other activities of the Boat Regatta from the waterfront of his Queen’s Drive residence in Ikoyi.
Dignitaries, including top officials of the Lagos State government and white cap chiefs from the State, were already seated when the President cancelled his appearance following briefings on the tragedies.
The President wished the Lagos State government, organisers of the Boat Regatta, themed ”Our Water, Our Heritage, Our Life,” a successful and hitch-free festival.#The two events at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, and a community Centre in Okija, Anambra State claimed many lives and left many others injured.
Not less than 10 persons have reportedly died, while many were reported injured in a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday morning during the distribution of food items to vulnerable and elderly individuals.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, said the unfortunate incident which took place around 6:30 am, resulted in a stampede that claimed the lives of 10 individuals, including four children, and left 8 others with varying degrees of injuries.
In a related development, reports disclosed that many people were fatally wounded in a stampede in Anambra State.
A statement by the Police stated that the incident occurred when a known philanthropist from the Okija community, on his yearly schedule activities, was distributing some palliatives to the members of the community to provide succour to the less privileged.#Awka Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga stated that the incident happened in the early hours of Saturday at Okija.
These sad developments occurred a few days after, a similar incident occurred in Ibadan, Oyo State, where a stampede at a children’s funfair resulted in the deaths of 35 children and left 6 others critically injured. (VON)