Another Stampede at Rice Sharing Event in Anambra Claims Several Lives

Olufemi Orunsola 

Barely less than a week after over 30 minors were reportedly killed while about 75 others were injured at a children's funfair in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria, OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that another tragic stampede has occurred at a rice-sharing event in the Okija community of Anambra State, with several people, mostly women, reportedly left dead.

OTN News observes that this new tragic trend of life-claiming stampedes at public functions, where food items are being shared underscores the biting hunger in the land, ocassioned by the harsh socio-economic realities of the times.

According to eyewitnesses, who recounted how the tragic incident occurred, the rice-sharing event witnessed a large turn out of people, leading to the gathering of a chaotic crowd, that became quite difficult to control.

Eyewitnesses recounted that the chaotic scene witnessed a large crowd who gathered to receive free bags of rice distributed by a well-known philanthropist in Anambra state, Obijackson.

As at the time of filing this report, the exact number of casualties during the tragic incident is yet to be confirmed by relevant authorities although there were speculations that about 17 people died.

OTN News gathered from Arinzechukwu Nwanonenyi, a resident who posted a video of the incident on Facebook, lamented the tragedy, saying, "It’s a pity. Poverty is terrible. Assuming these women who met their untimely deaths were not poor, they would not have been there in the first place. God have mercy, and may their souls rest in peace."

Local authorities are yet to provide official figures on the death toll or confirm the number of injuries sustained during the incident. 

However, the tragic event underscores the harsh realities of poverty and food insecurity in many parts of Nigeria.

OTN News recalls that a similar incident which occurred earlier in the week in Ibadan, Oyo State, involved a stampede at a children's Christmas party organized by Agidigbo 88.7 FM in collaboration with Queen Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi led to the death of 35 children. 

The unfolding tragedy has left many promusing minors dead at the Islamic High School in Bashorun, with several others injured and receiving treatment at the University College Hospital, Ibadan and other hospitals in the ancient city of Ibadan.

The Anambra stampede is coming while Nigerians are still mourning the death of the minors who lost their lives in the Ibadan funfair stampede with many well meaning Nigerians calling for more oversight functions by relevant authorities as well as better crowd control mechanisms by organizers of public events and philanthropic events that involve sharing of gifts and food items amidst the biting poverty currently ravaging the country.

Given the recurring nature of such tragedies, Nigerians are calling for urgent actions by the political leadership of the country to address the root causes of poverty that has eaten deeply into the fabrics of the society, leaving many people helpless and going to unreasonable, life-threatening limits to survive the hardship in the country.