The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has asked politicians to refrain from politicizing the recent deaths ignited by stampedes at food distribution points in Ibadan, Abuja and Okija.
While describing such incidents as unfortunate, Idris said the tragic events are in no way connected to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms.
“It is worth noting that similar unfortunate occurrences have been recorded in the past, before the current administration, as such, making any attempt to link these tragedies to the President’s reforms is unfounded and disingenuous,” he argued in a statement on Sunday.
Idris said the reforms, while repositioning the Nigerian economy for sustainable growth, are designed to uplift the lives of all Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable without causing distress.
The Minister called for a collective sense of responsibility and urged citizens to unite and ensure that the Yuletide season is marked by peace, goodwill, and joy, devoid of preventable tragedies.
The statement issued by his Special Assistant, Rabiu Ibrahim read:
“”The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, deeply sympathizes with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the tragic stampedes that occurred during food distribution exercises in Ibadan, Abuja, and Okija.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those affected by these unfortunate incidents.
“The tragedies are deeply saddening and underscore the importance of ensuring proper crowd management during such charitable activities, especially during the festive season.
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“We acknowledge the noble intentions of organizers seeking to bring relief to vulnerable members of society, but individuals and organizations planning similar events must comply with the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun on liaising with the police formations for effective crowd control and security measures.
“The collaboration with the police and the National Emergency Management Agency is crucial to safeguarding lives and ensuring that such efforts to assist those in need do not inadvertently lead to further distress.
“It is worth noting that similar unfortunate occurrences have been recorded in the past, before the current administration, as such, making any attempt to link these tragedies to the President’s reforms is unfounded and disingenuous,” he said.
Idris said the reforms, while repositioning the Nigerian economy for sustainable growth, are designed to uplift the lives of all Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable without causing distress.
The Minister called for a collective sense of responsibility and urged citizens to unite and ensure that the Yuletide season is marked by peace, goodwill, and joy, devoid of preventable tragedies.
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