From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Ignatius Kaigama, has dismissed claims that negligence was largely responsible for the stampede that claimed 10 lives at a food-sharing event on 21 December 2024 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja.
Speaking at a special Holy Mass in honour of the deceased and injured victims on Sunday, Archbishop Kaigama highlighted the seamless food distributions in previous years at many Catholic parishes in the FCT.
“Unfortunately, the 2024 distribution at Holy Trinity Maitama witnessed an unprecedented turnout of about 5,000 needy and vulnerable individuals, possibly due to the heightened economic hardship affecting many families in the country.
“The large crowd outside the church premises caused pressure and panic, leading to a struggle as individuals scrambled to gain entry through the church gate, resulting in fatalities and injuries. No one should die a needless death while struggling for food,” he said.
The Archbishop noted that lessons have been learnt, and future interventions will be conducted differently to prevent a recurrence.
“We must realise this unexpected incident underscores the need for enhanced crowd control measures. Moving forward, we will introduce pre-registration for interested individuals to prevent a similar occurrence, alongside sensitisation on orderly conduct before and during distributions to help minimise panic.
“While we mourn the loss of lives, we remain committed to serving the poor and vulnerable and will work to ensure such incidents are avoided in the future.”
He called on the government to collaborate with the Catholic Church to care for the poor, the hungry, and the socially deprived. “We should foster collaboration rather than assign blame.
“The Church has always been a place of refuge and support, and we need to work with government agencies to address the underlying issues that led to this sad event. Countries like Germany, the US, the UK, and Ireland empower the Catholic Church and other faith-based organisations to provide for the poor.
“Our government must ensure that no one dies of hunger or other artificial causes. Nigeria must utilise its resources without corruption to save lives, even if it’s just one person.”
Archbishop Kaigama commended Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, for their ongoing efforts in caring for the poor through the St. Vincent de Paul platform.
“I won’t hesitate to declare the Parish priest of Holy Trinity Maitama, Fr. Moses Jimbili, the President of St. Vincent de Paul of Maitama Parish, Ms Juliet Onwuemelia, and all the compassionate members of St. Vincent de Paul in Abuja Archdiocese as our heroes and heroines of 2024 for their selfless roles in feeding and caring for the poor.”