Tinubu laments stampede tragedies, calls for better organization in palliative distribution

By Kunle Sanni

President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his condolences over the recent stampedes in Oyo, Anambra, and the Federal Capital Territory that claimed several lives during the sharing of palliatives by different organised groups.

Speaking during his first presidential media chat on Monday in Lagos, the President offered condolences to the families of the victims while emphasizing the importance of organization in such initiatives.

“It is sad that people are not organized in our society,” President Tinubu stated. “While it is good to give, we must ensure that it is done responsibly to avoid tragic outcomes like these. For over 25 years, since my time in Bourdillon, I have been giving back to the community.

“However, I believe that if you do not have enough to give or cannot manage the process well, it is better not to announce it at all.”

Last week, there were reports of deaths linked to palliative sharing across various states, which were attributed to poorly organized distribution efforts.

However, Many Nigerians have attributed the incidents as a result of poor management of food item distributions.

The President also compared Nigeria’s situation to more structured systems in the United States and the United Kingdom, where food banks are organized, and recipients form orderly lines to receive assistance.

“We must learn from such examples and avoid errors like these in the future,” he said, describing the recent events as a “very big error on the part of the organizers.”