•Pathetic stories of Nigerians trampled to death while looking for what to eat
By Henry Umahi
This is certainly not a good time for Nigerians. In fact, the people have never had it so tough and rough.
•Protesting Nigerian youths
Nigerians are suffering in a manner never experienced before. The prices of goods and services have gone through the roof, pointing toward the sky.
According to the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the nation’s inflation rate is at an almost all-time high of 31.7% in February 2024. This is why there are severe economic pressures affecting the cost of living across the country.
Many families can no longer afford basic necessities, particularly food. And in their quest for food, some Nigerians have been trampled to death by fellow citizens.
While it takes about two months for human to die from starvation, some Nigerians have been killed instantly while looking for what to eat.
There are those who suffered grievous injuries while looking for food.
Last Sunday, no fewer than seven persons lost their lives in a stampede while struggling to collect Zakat (alms) being distributed by a private businessman in Bauchi State.
It was gathered that the stampede occurred at the office of Shafa Holdings located along Jos Road in Bauchi metropolis.
The incident happened at about 10.20am when the company was holding its annual Zakat exercise, otherwise known as almsgiving, to help the less privileged in the state.
The police public relations officer in the state, Ahmed Wakili, told a newspaper that five people became unconscious as a result of the stampede. He added that four were confirmed dead at the Abubakar Tafewa Balewa Teaching Hospital Bauchi while one was in critical condition.
He said: “The command received a distress call at about 10.20am from Abubakar Tafewa Balewa Teaching Hospital Bauchi, indicating that five people were brought to the hospital unconscious due to the stampede, a call we received from a Good Samaritan. Upon receiving the call, the Commissioner of Police, Musa Mohammed, directed the area commander to the scene of the crime.
We have cordoned off the place and evacuated those injured to the hospital. In the process, five people were in the hospital, but four were confirmed dead by medical doctors. The exercise is a Zakat exercise that was given to the less privileged by Shafa Holding Company along Jos Road; that is the major cause of the stampede.
“The command is calling on members of the public to go about their lawful business as the situation is under control. The command is calling on wealthy people in the town to exercise extreme caution.
“During the charity-giving process, especially when it involves sharing with large numbers of people, they have to inform the police to help put in place certain channels because we have some standard operational procedures.
“In that standard procedure, we have police officers who control the crowd. If such measures were taken, I don’t think this would happen.”
However, it was gathered that three more people have died as a result of injuries sustained while fighting for food to survive.
Wakili confirmed the latest figure on Monday. In a press release, he said three more women, in addition to previously confirmed four, have died, bringing the death toll to seven.
He said the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) confirmed that two more women died at the hospital among those brought for treatment, while another woman died at home.
Wakili gave their names as Aisha Usman,13; Sahura Abubakar,55; Aisha Ibrahim Abubakar, 43; and Khadija Isah, eight. Others are Maryam Suleiman, 20, of Kandahar Bauchi; Maryam Shuibu, 16, of Gwang Gwan Gwan Bauchi; and Hassana Saidu, 53, of Dutsen Tanshi Bauchi.
“These are the number of victims confirmed dead by medical doctors. More details will be made available to the public as the command receives them,” he said.
On March 22, at least two female students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi reportedly died following a stampede that occurred at the university’s convocation square, which was the venue for the distribution of palliatives to the students by the state government.
It was gathered that the two female students died as a result of the stampede which left others with several degrees of injuries.
In his reaction, the National President of the Nasarawa State Students Association, Yunusa Baduku, said: “Seriously, what happened this morning at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, is uncalled for, and very pathetic.
“After our arrangement for the distribution of palliatives to the students which was to hold at the University’s convocation square, they (students) suddenly arrived at the venue in their numbers and overpowered the security.
“They broke through the gate into the Convocation square where the bags of rice was to be share.
“Unfortunately, most of our female students sustained several degrees of injuries, while others got suffocated because of the population at the venue for the distribution of the palliatives.
“Right now, I am at the Federal Medical Centre Keffi, where we brought some of our students for emergency treatment.
“Also, as National President of NASA, I got an official report that one student has died as a result of the unfortunate incident.
“For the numbers of those injured, I cannot confirm that at the moment because some of them are at the school’s clinic while others are here at the FMC, Keffi receiving treatment.”
On February 23, seven people were trampled to death as a mass of people descended on the venue of the sale of 25kg bags of confiscated rice at the Yaba, Lagos office of the Nigerian Customs Service.
It was gathered that a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comfort Adebanjo, was one of those who lost their lives in the bid to purchase the rice at N10,000 at the Customs office.
Reacting to the development Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, in a post on his X page, lamented that “tragic happenings have become our daily companions as a people
“Somehow, disheartening and tragic happenings have become our daily companions as a people. In yet another very sad development, I am disheartened by the reports of the death of some students from Nasarawa State University (NSUK) in a stampede while struggling for food palliative from the state government.
“The very worsening level of hunger in our nation has continued to claim the lives of innocent citizens.
“This is, unfortunately, happening in a country that is richly blessed in human and natural resources, with vast arable lands for agriculture.
“Nigeria should have no business with hunger and poverty if we the leaders were caring enough. It is unimaginable how we have sadly descended to a level where people now take unthinkable risks in order to survive.
“Now again, our children who were sent to study in a university, challenged by hunger, have lost their lives because of our national unproductivity.
“I do hope that these ugly incidents will nudge our government into taking urgent measures to end the current food insecurity, by moving the nation from consumption to production.
“Time has come for Nigerians to unite in purpose and solve the challenges facing us. Hunger, as I have maintained, knows no tribe or religion.
“I commiserate with the bereaved families of the deceased students, the entire Nasarawa State University and the government of Nasarawa State over this painful incident. May God give all of us the fortitude to bear this loss and grant them eternal rest.”
The Deputy National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Prince Nwaeze Onu,
described the development as a reflection of the harsh economic conditions in the country.
Saying that the circumstances of the deaths depict failure of leadership, he regretted that Nigerians, who hitherto fed and took care of themselves now depend on the government for food handouts.
Onu told Daily Sun: “What is happening now is a product of bad governance and bad government policy. It is regrettable that Nigerians have been turned to beggars. This is the worst thing to happen to a country. It’s the worst level any country can descend into. It is a monumental tragedy that citizens of a country like Nigeria should be begging government for food handout. It’s heartbreaking. You cannot defend this.”
He said the people should hold government responsible for the parlous state of the economy. He added that government should develop good policies that will make life better for the common people.
“Government should tackle the problem of insecurity head-on. People don’t go to farms because of the fear of being abducted or killed. Nigerians cannot continue to live like this,” Onu said.
The National Chairman, G-Friends Thrift Society, Mazi Cyril Okemuo, said the recent developments is a reflection of the quality of leadership the country has. According to him, any country whose citizens cannot feed themselves is doomed.
Okemuo said: “The Federal Government is to blame for the stampede that resulted from food scarcity and the high cost of living across various states of the federation.
“Government’s insensitivity towards insecurity by the last APC administration has continued to disrupt food production, distribution, and access. Armed conflicts, banditry and displacements hinder food availability. As a result, desperate crowds during food distributions are prone to stampede.
“This is as a result of poor economic management, which led to currency devaluation, inflation and economic instability thereby contributing to rise in living costs. When basic requirements become unaffordable, hopelessness sets in, leading to stampede while giving food handout.
“The APC-led Federal Government has failed woefully on its own policies of ensuring food security and affordability. Inadequate policies, mismanagement and corruption have exacerbated scarcity and price inflation. And government’s inability to resolve these issues directly impacts citizens’ well-being.
“As it stands today, Nigerians lack social safety nets and where any exists, it is insufficient and laced with corruption. Inadequate social programmes or safety nets leave vulnerable populations without support. When people struggle to meet their basic needs, they become more susceptible to stampede.
“The last administration paid lip-service to agriculture through numerous scams, including the erection of fake Rice pyramid thereby contributing to food scarcity and desperation.
To arrest this drift to anarchy, the Federal Government of must address systemic issues, prioritize citizens’ welfare, and execute effective policies to prevent stampede arising from food scarcity and galloping inflation. Combined efforts comprising government, civil society groups, and global allies are critical for long-term solutions.”