The Catholic Church has clarified that the tragic food stampede that occurred at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja recently, which resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals and injuries to 11 others, was not caused by negligence.
This statement was made by the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, during a Remembrance Mass held on Sunday in Abuja for the victims.
The Mass was attended by key figures, including Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Assistant Inspector-General of Police for Zone 7, Bennett Igweh, and several Catholic leaders.
In his address, Kaigama explained that the Church had always engaged in charity work, providing food and essential items to the poor as part of its mission.
However, the recent event saw an overwhelming crowd of about 5,000 people, driven by the country’s economic hardship, which led to panic and chaos during the distribution process.
Kaigama pointed out that despite the tragic outcome, the Church took swift action to address the situation.
According to him, the distribution was immediately halted, the deceased were transported to the mortuary, and the injured received medical attention.
He also mentioned that individuals involved in the incident, including the parish priest and the parish’s security personnel, were questioned by the police and later released.
The Archbishop emphasized the need for better crowd control in the future, such as pre-registration for events, to prevent similar tragedies.
He also highlighted the Church’s continued commitment to assisting the vulnerable, despite the setback, and expressed hope for improved systems to support such charitable efforts.
The Archbishop reaffirmed the Church’s global role as a major provider of charitable and healthcare services, noting the need for similar collaboration in Nigeria.
He urged Nigerians to focus on supporting the less fortunate and expressed optimism for a more prosperous 2025 for the country’s vulnerable citizens.
Kaigama further called for a stronger partnership between the Church and government to address the pressing needs of the poor, particularly in terms of food distribution and healthcare.
The Catholic Archbishop stated, “We have gathered to invoke the comfort, the consolation of the Lord upon us, upon the parish, and upon the victims of the December 21st accident. I visited here the same day to share in the grief that was still very fresh, palpable, and visible on your faces, because you had just witnessed the unintended death of 10 persons and the injury of 11.
“The Catholic Church is the world’s largest non-government provider of healthcare services with its over 100,000 charity and healthcare centers. When the sad incident occurred, immediate actions were taken by the church: the distribution of items was halted immediately, the deceased were transported to the mortuary, and the injured were promptly provided medical care.
“The large crowd outside the church premises created pressure and panic. This led to a struggle as individuals scrambled to gain entry through the church gate, which resulted in the fatalities and injuries. It was not caused by negligence.
“This tragedy invites us to learn some lessons. We must realize that this unexpected incident underscores the need for enhanced crowd control measures. We are learning that they need to attempt to pre-register people in order to prevent a similar occurrence.
“I do not hesitate in declaring the parish priest of Holy Trinity, Maitama Fr. Moses Jimbili, the President of St. Vincent de Paul of Maitama Parish, Ms. Julia Onwuemelie, and all the members of St. Vincent de Paul in Abuja as our Heroes and Heroines of 2024.
“We should be speaking the language of collaboration rather than the language of blame… we can work together with the concerned government agencies to address the underlying issues that led to this sad event. Why should our government not collaborate with us? We are not asking for contracts. We are asking for money to be used to help the poor. Our government must do all that is possible so that no one dies of hunger or other artificial causes.”
Wike, who also spoke at the Mass, expressed solidarity with the Church and assured that the government would work together with the Catholic community to prevent such incidents in the future.
Wike stated, “I want you to understand that the devil attacks what is good, and he seeks to divert the children of God from their focus on doing good.
However, I know that as long as God lives, that focus will never be lost. We will strive to do better than we have in previous years, and may those who have departed rest in perfect peace. As for me, I will share this message with those who speak and take action. By the grace of God, there shall be collaboration (between the Church and the government).”
Peoplesmind
