Police Arrest Abuja Catholic Priest, Church Officials Following Stampede

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has detained the parish priest and officials of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Abuja over their involvement in a fatal stampede during a charity event.

The incident, which occurred during the distribution of food items to the underprivileged, left at least ten people dead and several others injured.

Police have also initiated investigations into similar tragic events in Anambra and Oyo states, which collectively resulted in over 60 fatalities, including children.

Witnesses reported that in Abuja, a crowd surge near the church’s gates occurred around 4 a.m., hours before the event started. Many people bypassed queues, leading to chaos.

The arrests were first disclosed by a Catholic priest and later confirmed by FCT Police spokesperson Josephine Adeh.

She accused the event organizers of negligence for failing to notify law enforcement about the magnitude of the gathering. “Ten lives, including children, were lost. Doesn’t this warrant arrest?” Adeh stated.

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigama, criticized the arrests, calling them “misplaced zeal” and urging authorities to support the church during this traumatic time instead of pursuing prosecutions. He emphasized the need for empathy and collaboration.

President Bola Tinubu also attributed the stampedes to poor planning by organizers. 

In his first presidential media chat, he described the incidents as “grave errors” and stressed the importance of proper safety measures for such large events.

Following the tragedies, the police have issued new guidelines for managing large gatherings to prevent future incidents. 

Meanwhile, all injured individuals from the Abuja stampede have reportedly been discharged from the hospital, according to FCT Emergency Management Department officials.