Anayo Ezugwu 
The Centre for Public Accountability has demanded a full public inquest from the governments of Oyo, Anambra, Bauchi, Nasarawa states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration, and other relevant authorities into the tragic stampedes that have recently occurred across various states, resulting in the loss of innocent lives.
These incidents, which took place in Ibadan, Oyo, Abuja, Bauchi, Keffi, Nasarawa, and Okija, Anambra State, have left a trail of devastation and grief.
In a statement by its director of publicity, Dr Karim Adegboyega, the group urged the Federal Government to urgently carry out a comprehensive public in – quiry into these stampedes.
The tragic events include the loss of 35 children’s lives at a Christmas funfair in Ibadan, 10 fatalities during a church-organized charity event in Abuja, 22 deaths at a food distribution event in Anambra, four women killed in Bauchi while scrambling for ₦5,000, and the crushing of two students in Keffi, Nasarawa State, during a chaotic rush for free bags of rice.
The group, which praised the swift actions of the Ondo State government in implementing effective crowd management directives that the State Attorney General issued to forestall such incidents, which have been acknowledged and now adopted by several other States, stressed the need for immediate and enforceable safety measures, including the involvement of trained humanitarian professionals and security agencies at such events.
However, the group did not hesitate to criticise Governor Seyi Makinde for his recent remarks regarding the ongoing case against the ex-Queen of the Ooni of Ife, Naomi Ogunwusi, and prominent radio presenter and founder of Agidigbo FM, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat.
The group alleged the governor of attempting to influence the justice process through his statements, raising concerns that his comments could undermine the integrity of the judicial process.
