President Bola Tinubu has attributed recent food stampedes in Nigeria to poor organisation, emphasizing that such tragedies could be avoided with proper planning.
He made the remarks during his first presidential media chat on Monday, referencing a series of incidents that claimed lives during palliative distribution events across the country.
On December 18, 35 children lost their lives in a stampede at a funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State. Days later, on December 21, 10 people, including children, died in a similar incident at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja. On the same day, 22 people were reported dead during a rice distribution event at Amaranta Stadium in Ojika, Ihiala LGA, Anambra State.
Describing the incidents as a “grave error” by the organisers, Tinubu extended condolences to the families of the victims but maintained that such events should not overshadow the spirit of the festive season.
“It is very sad that people are not well organised. We just have to be more disciplined in our society. Condolences to those who lost members, but it is good to give,” Tinubu said.
“I’ve been giving out foodstuff and commodities, including envelopes in Bourdillon, for the last 25 years, and I’ve never experienced this kind of incident because we are organised and disciplined. If you know you won’t have enough to give, don’t attempt to give or publicise it.”
The president also drew comparisons to food distribution systems in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, highlighting their structured approach to ensuring order.
“Every society, even in America, has food banks. They have hungry people. In Britain, they have food banks and warehouses, and they are organised. They take turns lining up and collect,” he said.
Despite the tragedies, Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain positive during the festive season. “It’s unfortunate and very sad, but we will continue to learn from our mistakes. I see this as a grave error on the part of the organisers, but things are improving. It doesn’t kill our happiness for the season; we should just get on with it.”
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