Labour Party Links Recent Deadly Stampedes to Nigeria’s Deepening Hunger Crisis

In Abuja, the Labour Party has vocalized its concerns over the recent tragic stampedes that have led to the deaths of over 65 Nigerians, attributing these events to a severely escalating hunger crisis. Alhaji Umar Farouk, the National Secretary of the Labour Party, emphasized the gravity of the situation following incidents in Oyo, Anambra, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Farouk detailed the circumstances surrounding these tragic events, which included a carnival in Ibadan where around 40 children perished, a food distribution in Okija claiming 20 lives, and another in the FCT where over 10 people met their demise. He stressed that these stampedes, happening during efforts to provide relief, underline the acute hunger plaguing the nation.

“These unfortunate incidents occurred during events meant to alleviate the suffering of vulnerable Nigerians—whether organized by religious institutions, philanthropists, or traditional rulers. The common denominator is the undeniable hunger in the land,” Farouk stated.

To underscore the severity of the crisis, he cited statistics from the World Bank, indicating Nigeria’s poverty rate escalated from 38.9% in 2023 to 40.7% in 2024, with 87 million people below the poverty line, placing Nigeria second only to India in terms of the global poor population.

He further connected the dots between poverty and desperation, pointing out dangerous behaviors like scavenging fuel from accident sites, which have led to deadly fires. The Labour Party official also referenced alarming data from the National Bureau of Statistics on kidnappings, noting more than two million abductions and significant ransom payments in the past year.

Farouk was critical of the current administration’s economic strategies under President Tinubu, arguing that these policies have worsened inflation and economic hardship. He called for an urgent pivot towards food production and economic policies aimed at reducing poverty, highlighting the vast potential of Nigeria’s unused arable land and aquatic resources.

“Protecting lives and property is a cardinal duty of any government. Yet, Nigerians are dying—either at the hands of kidnappers or while struggling to survive due to hunger. The government must act decisively to address this crisis,” he concluded, urging a strategic reevaluation in government planning for 2025.

The Labour Party reaffirmed its commitment to pushing for policies that place the welfare of Nigerians at the forefront, pressing for immediate governmental action to combat the hunger epidemic and its dire consequences.