Stampede: Lagos warns event organisers, show promoters

The Lagos State Government urged show promoters, event organisers, non-governmental organisations, corporate organisations and private individuals to ensure proper crowd management before organising any events to avoid stampede.

The state government issued the warning at a press conference on Sunday, addressed by Gbenga Omotosho, Information and Strategy Commissioner, saying this has become necessary in view of the multiple stampede cases being recorded across the country and consequential loss of lives.

Stampedes in Ibadan, Oyo State; Okija, Anambra State, and Maitama, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recently claimed over seventy lives.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had, on Saturday, in a statement signed by Gboyega Akosile, his special adviser on media and publicity, sympathised with families that lost loved ones in the three stampedes.

“The Department of Health and Social Services has partnered with safety agencies, and are working to have control measures, but the most important thing is that individuals who want to have large-crowd events must register with the Safety Commission. There are laws in Lagos that say how to go about such things.

“This is why the government, apart from the fact that we are telling individuals to be safety conscious at this time, we are also telling people who may want to do charity, that any act of charity should not claim the lives of people.

“Most people say it is because of poverty, but I know that it is just one side of the story.

“The other side of the story is that it is in human nature that wherever freebies are being distributed, people will go,” said Omotosho on Sunday.

Also speaking at the press conference, Gbenga Oyerinde, Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, said: “No freebies is worth the lives of Lagosians. Governor Sanwo-Olu values the lives of the state residents.

“We have toll-free lines to report cases of emergency. They are 767 and 112. We have the equipment and human resources to ensure we all have a great festive season,” he said.

On her part, Margaret Adeseye, the director of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, called on Lagos residents to be safety conscious.

“Harmattan does not cause fire, people’s carelessness is to blame. Don’t store fireworks, don’t sell fuel in the markets, keep your gas cylinders far away from your cookers,” she said.