The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) has strongly condemned the Nigerian government’s handling of recent stampedes that have resulted in the deaths of at least 105 people, mostly poor and disadvantaged citizens, between March 2022 and December 2024. ASCAB attributed the tragedies to “criminal negligence” and the dire effects of poverty, exacerbated by the government’s neoliberal economic policies.
In a statement issued by Femi Falana, SAN, Chair of ASCAB, the organization expressed outrage over the government’s failure to take meaningful action to prevent such avoidable tragedies. Despite expressing condolences, the federal and state governments have not taken concrete steps to address the root causes of these incidents.
The stampedes occurred during various events, including charity distributions and palliative handouts, where desperate citizens gathered to receive food and meager stipends. ASCAB highlighted several incidents, including:
May 22, 2022*: Over 30 people killed in a stampede in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during an overcrowded church charity event.
March 22, 2024*: Two students of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, died during the distribution of palliatives, while 23 were hospitalized.
March 25, 2024*: Seven people, including an eight-year-old girl, were killed in a crush at a charity event in Bauchi.
April 7, 2024*: Nine people died during a stampede at the residence of a senator in Sokoto.
December 19, 2024*: 35 children were confirmed dead, and six others were injured during the Children Christmas Funfair tragedy in Ibadan, Oyo State.
December 21, 2024*: At least 10 people, including children, died, and several others sustained injuries during a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja.
December 21, 2024*: At least 12 people were confirmed dead in Okija town, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, during a scramble for Christmas rice.
ASCAB emphasized that the victims were primarily poor and disadvantaged citizens who had been reduced to beggars by poverty induced by the federal government’s economic policies. The organization vowed to mobilize lawyers to file civil suits to ensure survivors and the families of the victims are adequately compensated.
ASCAB also stressed the need for urgent reforms and accountability to protect vulnerable citizens from such life-threatening situations in the future. The organization criticized the “vulgar exhibitionism and egregious humiliation of the poor” in the distribution of palliatives, highlighting the need for a more dignified and respectful approach to charity.
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