The minister said similar occurrences were recorded during
past administrations, saying it should not linked to President Bola Tinubu’s
reforms.
He, however, sympathized with the families and loved ones of
those who lost their lives.
According to the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police
Command, about ten dead bodies were recovered after the stampede at Holy
Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama.
Also, in a similar incident not less than 20 residents of
the Okija community in Anambra State died in a stampede that occurred during an
event organized for the distribution of rice.
Over 35 people, mostly children, died during a stampede at a
carnival in Ibadan, Oyo state capital, a few days ago.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their
families, and all those affected by these unfortunate incidents,” the minister
said.
Idris said the tragedies are deeply saddening and underscore
the importance of ensuring proper crowd management during such charitable
activities.
While acknowledging the noble intentions of organizers
seeking to bring relief to vulnerable members of society, the minister
admonished all individuals and organizations planning similar events to comply
with the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun on
liaising with the police formations for effective crowd control and security
measures.
He emphasized that collaboration with the police and the
National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, is crucial to safeguarding lives
and ensuring that such efforts to assist those in need do not inadvertently
lead to further distress.
The minister, in the same vein, appealed to politicians and
other stakeholders to refrain from politicizing the unfortunate incidents,
stressing that those tragic events are in no way connected to the Tinubu
administration’s economic reforms.
“It is worth noting that similar unfortunate occurrences
have been recorded in the past, before the current administration, as such,
making any attempt to link these tragedies to the President’s reforms is
unfounded and disingenuous,” he said.
Idris said the reforms, while repositioning the Nigerian
economy for sustainable growth, are designed to uplift the lives of all
Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable without causing distress.
He called for a collective sense of responsibility and urged
citizens to unite and ensure that the Yuletide season is marked by peace,
goodwill, and joy, devoid of preventable tragedies.