The House of Representatives has mourned the tragic loss of lives, including children, in three stampedes that occurred in Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja during public events.
The incidents, which took place on December 18 and 21, 2024, resulted in multiple fatalities and left several others injured. The stampedes occurred at Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan; Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja; and in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra State. The overcrowded events reportedly led to the tragic outcomes.
In a statement released by the House Spokesman, Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr., the House expressed deep sorrow over the events and extended condolences to the families of the deceased while wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, described the incidents as “unfortunate” and called for a thorough investigation to prevent such occurrences in the future. He also urged Nigerians to exercise caution during the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Also the Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu emphasized the House’s commitment to ensuring safety and protecting human lives, urging stakeholders to collaborate on improving crowd management and safety measures at public gatherings.
Meanwhile ,the House has welcomed the directive from the Inspector-General of Police, which called on event organizers to involve security agencies in future events.
The IGP warned that negligence leading to such tragedies would face legal consequences as outlined in Nigerian law.
The House further reiterated the need for strengthened enforcement of safety regulations to prevent avoidable tragedies and called for a collective effort to safeguard the lives of Nigerians during public events.
The House’s deepest sympathies go out to the families affected by the stampedes, with prayers for the repose of the departed souls and a swift recovery for the injured.
