- Human rights lawyer Femi Falana attributes the recent stampedes in Nigeria, resulting in over 105 deaths, to “poverty-induced neoliberal economic policies” and “criminal negligence”.
- The latest tragedies occurred on December 21, 2024, with 12 people dying and 32 others injured in Okija, Anambra State, and 10 lives lost, including children, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja.
- Falana criticizes the elite for their treatment of the poor during such events, condemning “class prejudice” in humanitarian aid distribution.
- The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond plans to mobilize lawyers to pursue civil suits against event organizers, ensuring survivors and families of the deceased receive adequate compensation.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has condemned the loss of over 105 lives in stampedes during food and cash distribution events in Nigeria. Falana attributes these tragedies to “poverty-induced neoliberal economic policies” and “criminal negligence”. He emphasizes that 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 latest incidents occurred on December 21, 2024, with 12 people dying and 32 others injured in Okija, Anambra State, during a scramble for rice distributed by a philanthropist. On the same day, a stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja, claimed 10 lives, including children, as over 3,000 people jostled for palliatives.
Falana criticizes the elite for their treatment of the poor during such events, condemning “class prejudice” in humanitarian aid distribution. He notes that the elite would not invite others to lunch by throwing food, highlighting the indignity imposed on the poor.
The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond plans to mobilize lawyers to pursue civil suits against event organizers, ensuring survivors and families of the deceased receive adequate compensation. Falana calls on the government to take decisive action to prevent further loss of lives.
