Stampede for food alms kills another 4 in Bauchi, after deaths in Keffi
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Four people have been trampled to death as they tried to get their cut from food almsgiving at Shafa Holdings Company on Jos Road in Bauchi in the North East.
The incident happened at about 10.20am on Sunday when the company held its annual (Islamic) Zakaat, otherwise known as almsgiving, to help the less privileged.
Two days earlier, three people had died in another stampede in Nasarawa in the North Central in the struggle to grab one of the 7.5kg bags of rice the state government donated to the students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
State Police Public Relations Officer Ahmed Wakili confirmed five people became unconscious in the Bauchi stampede and four were certified dead by the doctor on duty at a hospital they were taken to.
“The command received a distress call at about 10.20am from Abubakar Tafewa Balewa Teaching Hospital Bauchi, indicating that five people were brought to the hospital unconscious due to the stampede, a call we received from a Good Samaritan,” Wakili told The PUNCH.
“Upon receiving the call, the Commissioner of Police, Musa Mohammed, directed the area commander to the scene of the crime. We have cordoned off the place and evacuated those injured to the hospital.
“In the process, five people were in the hospital, but four were confirmed dead by medical doctors. The exercise is a Zakaat exercise that was given to the less privileged by Shafa Holding Company along Jos Road; that is the major cause of the stampede.”
Need for police control during mass arms giving
“The command is calling on members of the public to go about their lawful business as the situation is under control. The command is calling on wealthy people in the town to exercise extreme caution,” Wakili added.
“During the charity-giving process, especially when it involves sharing with large numbers of people, they have to inform the police to help put in place certain channels because we have some standard operational procedures.
“In that standard procedure, we have police officers who control the crowd. If such a measure were taken, I don’t think this would happen.
“We are sending our condolences to the public and family of the bereaved, as the commissioner of police has directed a distinct investigation to unravel the circumstances that surround the event.”
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