Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has directed all government hospitals in Abuja to provide free medical care to victims of the tragic stampede that occurred during a food distribution event at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama.
According NAN, the incident, which took place at approximately 6:30 am on Saturday, claimed the lives of at least 10 individuals, including children, and left another 10 injured.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, Wike expressed deep sorrow over the incident and pledged the FCT Administration’s commitment to ensuring the injured receive adequate medical attention. Describing the incident as “painful,” the minister extended his condolences to the victims’ families and prayed for strength to bear their losses.
To prevent future tragedies, Wike directed that individuals or organizations planning public distributions of palliatives must obtain police permission. He commended the swift response of the police and other security agencies, which he said mitigated further chaos.
The acting Director-General of the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), Mr. Abdulrahman Mohammed, revealed that nine out of the 10 injured individuals taken to Maitama District Hospital have been treated and discharged. Mohammed urged organizations distributing aid to engage security agencies or FEMD for proper planning, suggesting the use of coupons and segmentation of beneficiaries to reduce overcrowding.
Additionally, the FCT Police Command mandated that all public events, including charitable distributions, must notify the police to facilitate adequate security deployment. The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, emphasized that non-compliance would result in the organizers being held accountable for any resulting incidents.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force, through its spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, issued a broader warning against unorganized palliative distributions, citing their increasing contribution to fatalities. Adejobi called for better coordination to protect vulnerable citizens during such activities.
This tragedy stresses the need for stricter safety protocols during public charity events to safeguard lives and ensure orderly distribution processes.
