- Safiu Kehinde
Former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has mourned victims of the horrific stampede at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Anambra state.
The 2023 People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Presidential candidate expressed his condolences with the family of the deceased in a statement shared on his X handle on Saturday.
NPO reported that 10 people were confirmed dead while several others were injured over distribution of food palliatives at the Holy Trinity Catholic church in Maitama, Abuja yesterday.
Similar incident occured at Okija community, Anambra state as mammoth crowd had stormed a venue for Christmas rice giveaway.
In the same vein, stampede ensued, leaving many dead and several others injured barely three days after over 35 minors were killed at an ill-fated Ibadan children’s funfair.
Meanwhile, Atiku in his statement extended his condolences with the Holy Trinity Catholic church, Abuja, and Anambra state governor over the weekend’s mayhem.
He, however, charged organizers of such large-scale events to priortize crowd control and management to avert disaster of such.
The statement read in part; “It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that I receive yet again the heartbreaking news of lives lost in tragic stampedes, this time in Okija, Anambra, and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, resulting in the untimely passing of many.
“The anguish is all the more unbearable, as these recent tragedies strike just days after the devastating loss of nearly three dozen innocent children in a similar stampede at a funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“On behalf of my family, I extend my sincerest condolences to those who have lost loved ones in today’s tragic events. Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving families, that they may find solace and with the departed, that they may rest in eternal peace.
“We also stand in solidarity with the people and governments of Anambra and the Federal Capital Territory and extend our heartfelt sympathies to the Catholic Church, especially to the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama.
“It is imperative that those entrusted with the organization of such large-scale events take the utmost care in crowd management, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all participants.”