Group commiserate with stampede victims in Oyo, Anambra, Abuja

The aftermath of a stampede at a holiday funfair in Oyo State. Pic: Arise News/AP

The Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development has expressed deep condolences to the victims’ families of the recent stampedes at food distribution events in Oyo, Anambra States, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – Abuja.

The tragic incidents, which occurred during the distribution of food items, underscore the dire state of hunger and poverty in the country.

Executive Director of the Patriots, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, in a statement, mourned with the bereaved families and prayed for the quick recovery of those injured.

He called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in food production and make adequate provisions for agriculture in the 2025 appropriation bill.

Dr. Shinkafi further highlighted the urgent need to tackle inflation, now at a staggering 34.6%, the highest in three decades, by ensuring affordability and availability of basic commodities.

He said: “We share the grief of the families who lost their loved ones at the distribution venues and pray for the quick recovery of the injured.

“We are saddened by these national tragedies during this festival period and urge security agents to be proactive and ensure public safety and order at palliative distribution centres.

“No doubt the organisers of these welfare distributions had good intentions to touch the lives of the less privileged; the tragedies that followed make it imperative that security agents must be notified on time to ensure seamless distributions and forestall recurrence. With over 36 million hectares of arable land in Nigeria, there ought not to be food shortage, hunger, starvation and disease.

“Governments at all levels should be committed to boosting agriculture, curb poverty, unemployment and insecurity in tandem with the provision of Section 14( 2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which states that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

“Unfortunately, the deaths from the food distribution stampedes have shown to the world that there is acute hunger and starvation in the country. It has become necessary for various governments to quickly address food insecurity in the country and bolster citizens’ standards of living.”