The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has laid out critical measures to prevent stampedes and deaths during palliative distribution, following recent tragedies in Abuja, Ibadan, and Anambra that claimed scores of lives, including 35 minors.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, Yilwatda sympathized with grieving families and lamented the events, describing them as avoidable if proper protocols had been adhered to. The minister called for organizers of charity events to adopt safety measures, including risk assessments, police involvement, and crowd management strategies.
“You can’t just throw open a food distribution event without proper planning,” Yilwatda said, highlighting the dangers of such actions in densely populated areas. He cited Ibadan’s population of over two million and Abuja’s three million residents as examples, noting that distributing food to a limited number of beneficiaries inevitably leads to chaos.
To avert such tragedies, the minister emphasized the need for registration of beneficiaries, predetermined distribution points, and collaboration with law enforcement agencies. “We ask people to register, select beneficiaries, and work with the police to determine safe venues. Vulnerability checks and risk assessments are crucial to ensuring safety,” he explained.
Yilwatda urged state and local governments to adopt federal protocols to ensure consistency in palliative distribution nationwide. “At the federal level, our involvement in events is minimal, but the state and local governments must domesticate these protocols. Police enforcement is critical to penalize violations and maintain order,” he added.
Among the measures listed were creating crowd management teams, setting up protocol officers to oversee entry points, and postponing events if the crowd exceeds manageable limits. Organizers without adequate resources were advised to collaborate with federal government teams for assistance.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to minimizing risks during humanitarian activities and called on churches, private organizations, and charity groups to prioritize safety in their events.
The recent stampede in Abuja alone injured dozens and left the nation mourning, while authorities continue treating the injured.
