President Tinubu blamed poor event organization for recent food stampedes in Nigeria, which claimed dozens of lives. Reflecting on his 25 years of incident-free palliative distribution, Tinubu emphasized discipline and structure in public event management, urging organizers to learn from global practices to prevent future tragedies.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep concern over recent food stampedes in Nigeria, attributing the tragedies to poor organization by event planners. During his first presidential media chat, Tinubu extended condolences to the victims’ families and emphasized the need for greater discipline in public event management.
Three major stampedes occurred within days: a funfair in Ibadan claimed 35 children’s lives, a rice distribution at Amaranta Stadium in Ihiala LGA left 22 dead, and an Abuja church event resulted in 10 fatalities.
Reflecting on his own decades-long experience distributing palliatives in Lagos, Tinubu stated, “For 25 years, we’ve given foodstuff and commodities without incident because we prioritize order and discipline.” He urged organizers to avoid publicizing events they cannot adequately manage, cautioning against creating chaotic situations.
Tinubu also compared the situation to structured food bank systems in the United States and the United Kingdom, where organized distribution minimizes risks. He called for Nigeria to adopt similar systems to prevent future tragedies.
Despite the somber events, Tinubu encouraged Nigerians to remain optimistic, emphasizing that these unfortunate incidents should not overshadow the spirit of giving during the festive season. He affirmed the government’s commitment to learning from mistakes and improving public safety at such events.
