The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Zubaida Umar, has called for proper crowd management during the distribution of palliatives to prevent stampedes and avoidable loss of lives.
Her appeal follows recent incidents of stampedes in Ibadan, Oyo State; Okija, Anambra State; and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which resulted in deaths and injuries within the span of four days.
In a statement by the agency on Saturday, Umar expressed concerns that such tragic outcomes undermine the goodwill behind charity events, turning acts of kindness into sources of grief due to poor planning and crowd control.
“While sympathising with the families of the deceased and those injured, she urged organisers of similar events to engage professionals and seek the support of security agencies to manage crowds effectively. She emphasised the importance of ensuring safety during such activities to prevent recurring tragedies.
“The Director General NEMA said all Zonal Territorial and Operations offices of the agency have been activated to respond to emergencies and provide support to first responders in the area of traffic management due to the usual increase of traffic during the yuletide and end of the year festivities,” the statement added.
In the past few days, a series of unfortunate incidents have highlighted the need for a more structured and secure approach to aid distribution.
On December 18, 2024, a stampede at a children’s funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State, claimed the lives of 35 children, leaving many others critically injured.
In another tragic event on December 21, 2024, 10 individuals lost their lives during a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja, where food items were being distributed to the vulnerable and elderly, while several others sustained injuries.
Similarly, a palliative distribution event organised by philanthropist Obi Jackson in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, ended in chaos, leaving three individuals dead and many others injured.
