By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Amidst the unfortunate stampede that claimed no fewer than 18 lives in Okija Anambra state on Saturday morning, Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 general elections has expressed dismay over the worsening plight of the people.
The Source reports that another event to share Christmas palliatives in the face of the present harsh economic realities in Okija ,Anambra state all ended tragically.
Thousands of locals had gathered to receive a yearly Christmas package from a philanthropist Chief Ernest Obiejesi through his Obi Foundation, but poor crowd control and desperation on the part of the supposed beneficiaries combined to cause a stampede .
Apart from the dead, several others were said to have sustained serious injuries
The Source reports that the sad incident came on the heels of the Ibadan stampede earlier in the week with about 35 people, mostly children confirmed dead.
Reacting to the Okija, Ibadan and Abuja tragic stampedes, Obi, a former Governor of Anambra state, regretted that unmitigated poverty has pushed many Nigerians into an unfortunate State, that they now place more premium on the search for food than on their lives.
The Source further reports that same, Saturday, December 21, over 10 persons also lost their lives in yet another stampede that occurred during the sharing of Christmas palliatives at an Abuja Church.
Writing on his official site on the three harrowing stampede in Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja on Saturday, Obi noted that the desperation of the people is a direct consequence of the excruciating economic situation in the country.
“I am deeply saddened and distressed by the tragic loss of lives ,in desperate searches for food .
“A few days ago ,about 35 people ,mostly children lost their lives in a stampede at a Christmas Funfair in Ibadan, Oyo state.
“This morning (Saturday December 21,2024), reports emerged of, at least, 10. people losing their lives in Abuja while scrambling for palliatives ,with many others injured .
“Now, I just heard that about 19 more lives were lost in another stampede in Okija, Anambra State as people struggled to receive food items.
While I will not cast blame but appreciate the organizers of these respective events for their kind gestures in providing palliatives and support to society, especially the poor ,these tragedies reflect the systemic failures that plague our society
“The desperate quest for survival in these harsh economic times ,has driven our people to extremes in their search for food ,often at cost of their lives .
“How do we explain that in a nation blessed with abundant resources our people.are dying of hunger in such numbers ?
“How is it possible that we cannot feed our citizens despite the vast ,fertile lands our nation is endowed with ? My heart bleeds.
“One can imagine the pain their families are enduring at this moment .My heart goes out to them .
“I sincerely commiserate with all the affected families and the good people of Oyo ,Anambra and FCT over these tragic incidents .
“May God grant them and all of us the strength to bear these painful losses,” Obi stated.
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