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President Bola Tinubu has blamed organisers for the fatal stampedes that occurred during the distribution of palliatives to the less privileged in three Nigerian cities.
In the past week, fatal stampedes have occurred in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Okija in Anambra State, and Abuja, the Nigerian capital, while residents struggled to get groceries being shared by organisers.
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Over 60 people, including children, died in incidents in the three states.
I see this as a “very grave error” on the part of the organisers, the Nigerian leader said on Monday during his first Presidential Media Chat.
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The deaths
Thirty-five people, mostly children, died during a stampede at a carnival in Ibadan, Oyo State, south-west Nigeria last Thursday.
Also on Saturday, 22 people were killed during a stampede in Okija in Anambra State, south-east Nigeria, while taking part in the sharing of bags of rice donated by an entrepreneur, Ernest Obiejesi, popularly known as Obijackson.
Another 10 persons died and several others were injured on the same day during a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Maitama District of Abuja.
“To me, I see this as a very grave error on the part of the organisers. But things are improving, it doesn’t kill our happiness for this season. It shouldn’t be. We should just get on with it,” he said.
People not well-organised
President Tinubu also said Nigerians are not well organised and lack discipline during the distribution of food items.
“Well, are we looking at it from the organisers’ point of view? Or are you looking at it from the goodwill gesture of the people trying to give out whatever they have access to? And it is very sad that people are not well organised. We just have to be more disciplined in our society,” he said.
The president said he has been giving out food items and cash to many indigent Nigerians in his house on Bourdillon Street in Lagos for over 25 years without recording any stampede.
He explained that he was able to manage the exercise because he is organised, cultured and disciplined.
He, however, sympathised with people who lost their children and their loved ones in the stampedes.
“My condolences to those who lost a family member, but it is good to give.
“I have been giving out foodstuffs, commodities, including envelopes at Bourdillon (street) for the last 25 years.
“I have never experienced this kind of incident because we are organised, cultured, disciplined. And if you know you don’t have enough to give, don’t attempt to even give or publicise it,” he said.
President Tinubu also compared the stampedes with the situation at bus-stops where he said passengers would defy long queues to enter vehicles.
READ ALSO: Tinubu cancels events following fatal stampedes in Abuja, Anambra
“Every society, even in America, they have food banks, they have hungry people. In Britain, they have food banks, they have warehouses, they are organised.
“It is unfortunate, we just have to…. It is a reflection in our bus stops where we don’t even want to be in the queue before we rush into the vehicle. It is very sad, but we will continue to learn from our mistakes,” he added.
