The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issued an alert to all its zonal, territorial, and operations offices to be ready for potential emergencies after a series of tragic stampedes during palliative distributions across the country.
These incidents, which occurred over four days in Ibadan (Oyo State), Okija (Anambra State), and Abuja, highlight the urgent need for better crowd management during such events.
In a statement released on Saturday, NEMA Director-General Zubaida Umar expressed deep concern over these repeated tragedies. She stressed that while charitable events aim to help, poor planning and lack of crowd control can turn acts of kindness into sources of grief.
NEMA has urged organisers of palliative distribution events to prioritise safety and adopt proper crowd management strategies.
This includes working with professionals and seeking support from security agencies to ensure the safety of all participants.
“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,” Umar added.
These incidents follow a series of tragic events, including a stampede at a rice-sharing event in Okija, Anambra State, which left several residents feared dead, and a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, which claimed the lives of 10 people, including four children, and left several others injured.
