Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has condemned the tragic loss of over 105 lives during recent stampedes at food and cash distribution events across Nigeria, attributing the incidents to “poverty-induced neoliberal policies” and “criminal negligence.”
In a statement released on Sunday, Falana, who chairs the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), described the tragedies as a national embarrassment.
“These tragic events are a national shame,” Falana said. “The victims were not just statistics but human beings driven to desperation by systemic poverty and the gross incompetence of those entrusted with their safety.”
The most recent incidents occurred on December 21, 2024. In Okija, Anambra State, 12 people lost their lives, and 32 were injured while scrambling for rice distributed by a philanthropist.
The same day, a stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja, left 10 dead, including children, as over 3,000 people competed for palliatives.
On December 19, 35 children were crushed to death at a Christmas funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State, as crowds surged at the Islamic High School, Basorun.
Similar tragedies were recorded earlier this year, including a chaotic April palliative distribution at the Sokoto residence of former governor Aliyu Wamakko that claimed nine lives, and a March event in Bauchi where seven people, including an eight-year-old girl, died during a cash gift distribution.
Falana decried the long-standing pattern of deaths from poorly managed charity events, referencing the May 2022 Port Harcourt church charity event where 30 people were killed due to overcrowding.
“The repeated nature of these incidents underscores the indignity that poverty imposes on our people,” he said.
Falana also accused the elite of indifference to the plight of the poor, condemning their handling of humanitarian distributions. “No member of the elite invites others to lunch by throwing the food,” he remarked, describing the method as “class prejudice.”
The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond plans to mobilize lawyers to file civil suits against the organizers of these events. “Survivors and families of the deceased must be adequately compensated,” Falana asserted. “Those responsible for these avoidable tragedies must be held accountable.”
Calling on the government to take urgent action, he declared, “Enough is enough! These events reflect the harsh realities of inequality in our nation and the urgent need for systemic reforms to protect the dignity and lives of our citizens.”
