Authorities in Abuja have detained the parish priest and officials of Holy Trinity Catholic Church over their alleged roles in a deadly stampede that claimed at least ten lives during a charity event at the church’s car park.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command confirmed the arrests on Wednesday, citing negligence by the organizers. The incident occurred on Saturday as groceries were being distributed to impoverished individuals.
Church Reaction
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Ignatius Kaigama, criticized the arrests in his Christmas message, titled “Christmas: A Season of Hope and Renewal.” He described the actions of the police as counterproductive and lacking compassion.
“It is, to say the least, uninspiring, unfriendly, and a misplaced zeal. One wonders what purpose these arrests were meant to serve,” Kaigama stated, urging authorities to support the church and the community in recovering from the traumatic event rather than focusing on prosecution.
Police Justification
Josephine Adeh, spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, defended the arrests, highlighting the organizers’ failure to notify law enforcement about the event.
“How can you organize an event of that magnitude without notifying the police? Ten lives, including children, were lost, and many others were injured. Doesn’t this warrant arrest?” Adeh said.
When asked if the parish priest was among those detained, Adeh declined to confirm, stating that arrests were limited to individuals directly involved in organizing the event.
National Reaction
President Bola Tinubu, during a media chat on Monday, expressed disappointment over the lack of proper planning in the Abuja stampede as well as similar incidents in Anambra and Oyo states, which together claimed over 60 lives, including children.
“This is a grave error on the part of the organizers,” Tinubu remarked, emphasizing the need for better planning to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Eyewitness Accounts
Witnesses reported that the Abuja stampede occurred due to a crowd surge at one of the church gates around 4 a.m., hours before the scheduled distribution of gift items. A survivor noted that many attendees refused to queue, leading to chaos.
While many individuals sustained injuries, Abdulrahman Mohammed, Acting Director of the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), confirmed on Monday that all injured persons had been discharged from the hospital.
New Guidelines
In response to the incident, the police have announced new regulations for the organization of large gatherings to ensure safety and prevent future tragedies.
