The Nation Newspaper

Tag: stampede

  • Synagogue stampede: Police, NEMA, LASEMA debunk report

    Synagogue stampede: Police, NEMA, LASEMA debunk report

    Report of a stampede at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) that allegedly claimed three lives have been dismissed by the Police, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).

    Similarly, the church denied the report, insisting that they have watched their video recordings of Prophet Temitope Joshua’s outing during Saturday’s special healing service and nothing of such was seen.

    One of the spokespersons for the church who refused to be named said: “It’s just a rumour. I can tell you categorically that nothing of such happened here. Funny enough, I was even in church on that said Saturday when they claimed it happened. All the same, when I got the call from a journalist, I still consulted all the media team.

    “You can make your findings. Nothing like that happened. You know the media team follows the prophet around with a video and still camera. How come none of the cameras picked up the stampede?”

    However, some worshippers at the church and taxi drivers who carried passengers outside the premises told The Nation that there was an actual stampede.

    According to a source, it happened outside the church premises around 4am, when Prophet Joshua came out.

    He said: “What happened was that the man of God came outside the church and as he was walking, people tried to touch him.  Alot of people were outside including sick people and they were running over themselves trying to touch him. That was when some people trampled on others.”

    A taxi driver who refused to be named said he was carrying passengers to and fro the place, adding that he could not really ascertain if those trampled upon died.

    He said: “It was early in the morning. I usually go there to carry passengers on their special healing service because so many people come from different parts of the world.

    “People outside were forcing their way in and in the process, pushing one another. I don’t really know if anybody died but I know that some people were trampled upon.”

    Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni said he was unaware of any stampede at the church, wondering how something like that would happen without the police knowing.

  • You can’t stampede me over green card, Soyinka tells critics

    You can’t stampede me over green card, Soyinka tells critics

    Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has reacted to the criticism that has trailed his vow to destroy his United States residency permit should Republican Party candidate, Donald Trump emerge President.

    The Nobel laureate described those taunting him over his statement as “literalists” who obsess over a time scheme of their own assessment. He said while it is true that he made the statement while addressing a group of students at Oxford University and fielding questions, he is not about to be stampeded into doing what his critics want.

    “Thus, failure to have torn my Green Card “the moment” that I learnt that Mr. Donald Trump had won the presidential elections of the USA. It did not matter what I was doing at the time – teaching, eating, swimming, praying, under the shower or whatever. Or a family member saying, “Wait for me!” – speculatively please, no such disturbance ever took place. If it did however, I am supposed to contact the Nigerian media – to whom I have never spoken, and who never contacted me – except one – to beg permission to pursue a realistic definition of “the moment”. Media fascism is however a subject for another day. For now, that moment having passed, I must be culpable of breaking a solemn promise. By the way, since we are on the terrain of literalism, has anyone attempted to “tear” or rip apart a Green Card? Even a Credit Card? For the average hands, that would take some doing! I have actually considered garden shears for a dramatic resolution, this being closer to my real profession,” Soyinka said.

    The literature icon said he has been asked several times if he would still carry out his promise to tear his card as he said. According to Soyinka, his answer to this question remains a categorical ‘Yes’.

    “I have been asked several times – interestingly only by the foreign media, with the exception of THE INTERVIEW – whether indeed I did make such a statement at any time, and whether I still intended to carry it out, and the answer remains a categorical ’Yes’.

    Speaking further, Soyinka said, “nonetheless, did I mean what I said – that is, ’exiting’ the USA? Absolutely, and that is the very theme of this address. It will not attempt to deal with the notion of an exit time-table as conceived by others, as if even the incumbent US president and his replacement are not even permitted over two months to pack their bags and prepare to move in and out of the White House, but must exchange positions the very moment that a winner was proclaimed.

    “Anyone would think that the Brexit Vote made it imperative for the Brits to plunge into the English Channel instantly, instead of negotiating two years for an orderly withdrawal. Plebeians like me of course need far less time, nevertheless they do not uproot overnight. Any other proposition speaks of a permanent agenda, of frustration and hidden histories – such as opportunities to rehabilitate themselves in the public eye.

    “There is also recession in the land, and I can understand the psychology of impotence and thus, transferred aggression. Let it be understood – before I move even one word further – that I interrupted my present commitment in the United States solely for an urgent meeting with the Ooni of Ife on an ongoing project. I am obliged to return to the US in a matter of two or three days to complete my interrupted mission. Fortunately, that mission is guaranteed to end long before the United States becomes Trumpland Real Estate.”

    Soyinka, who wondered why his statement generated such negative criticism, said he is not disturbed by the development as, according to him, his temperament requires a certain minimum level of environmental health to function properly.

    Offering an insight into why he made the statement that has seen him severely criticised by social media commentators across the globe.

    He added, “I followed the fluctuating poll statistics. I began to warn my colleagues, friends, my family: listen, this thing is happening right before our very eyes. This is how it begins, how humanity ends up with Cambodia, with Rwanda, with Da’esh. We are watching a Hitlerite phenomenon. We are witnessing history in reverse, unravelling before a complacent world. I said to them, if this man wins, I am relocating.

     

    For full text of Soyinka’s press statement, please visit www.staging.thenationonlineng.net

     

  • Four injured in stampede at Uyo International Stadium

    Four injured in stampede at Uyo International Stadium

    AT least four persons were injured in a stampede at one of the entrance gates of the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo at around 3.45pm more than one hour before the start of the 2017 AFCON qualifier between the Super Eagles and the Tanzania’s Taifa Stars.

    Our correspondent gathered from one of the injured persons that the stampede was a result of the decision of the stadium’ management to open just a gate out of the several despite the huge crowd that came to cheer the Eagles in the dead rubber AFCON qualifier.

    Stampede, therefore, ensued as the number of spectators who were obviously too much for the solitary entrance tried to force their ways into the stadium main bowl.

    It was confirmed that a woman had fractured leg, two children sustained minor cuts on their body including the head while another elderly man who is the father of the injured two children also sustained injury.

    Members of the Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) were seen evacuating the injured ones and they were promptly treated including the woman who broke her leg. She was promptly attended to and her twisted ankle was readjusted while the two children who laid on a stretcher were equally attended to. The stampede had no bearing on the match as programme leading to the start of the match was not interrupted. Over 20,000 spectators had arrived at the stadium over one hour before the start of the AFCON qualifier as the people of Akwa Ibom trooped out from far and near to show support for the Eagles.

  • Hajj stampede: Saudi to determine status of 35 missing Nigerian pilgrims

    Hajj stampede: Saudi to determine status of 35 missing Nigerian pilgrims

    The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) yesterday said Saudi Arabia will soon determine the status of 35 Nigerian pilgrims declared  missing after last year’s Hajj stampede.

    It also said the Saudi government has retained 76,000 quota given to the country.

    The Secretary to NAHCON, Dr. Bello Tambuwal, said last night that 280 Nigerians died in the twin tragedies of 11th and 24th of September, 2015.

    The statement said: “Saudi Arabian Authorities have promised to expedite action in determining the status of 35 Nigerian pilgrims declared missing in the aftermath of the stampede that occurred in Mina, Saudi Arabia during the just concluded Hajj 2015 exercise. “This promise was made during a Ministerial Meeting held between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia on Thursday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

    “The meeting, which kick-started Hajj 2016 preparatory activities witnessed the Saudi Arabian delegation, led by The Minister of Hajj, Dr Bandar Bn Muhammad Al Hajjar and Nigeria’s Delegation led by Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Hon. Khadija Bukar Ibrahim discussing the 2015 Hajj operations and preparations for Hajj 2016.

    “The Saudi delegation also  comprised  representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Hajj, Interior and other agencies.

    “The Nigerian delegation comprised Executive Members of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) led by its Chairman and Chief Executive, Barr. Abdullahi Muktar Muhammad and the Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Capt. Muhtar Usman.

    “The Nigerian Delegation had earlier on, condoled Saudi Arabia on the twin tragedies that occurred on the 11th and 24th of September, 2015 which claimed many lives including 280 Nigerians.”

    The statement explained that  Saudi Arabia promised to look into the demands of NAHCON including moving closer to Jamaraat, better tent facilities in Mina and finding solutions to the high cost of Umrah.

    The statement added: “The NAHCON Chairman informed the meeting of the Commission’s plans to embark on nation-wide enlightenment activities of pilgrims and its resolve to establish a Hajj Institute for professional training of Hajj Managers in Nigeria.

    “The Saudi delegation emphasized the need for proper enlightenment of pilgrims and promised to cooperate with the commission towards enhanced services to pilgrims. “Similarly the Saudi delegation promised to address Nigeria’s request to be moved closer to Jamaraat area and better tent facilities in Mina and Arafat. It also agreed to meet with the commission at a later time to discuss and find solutions to the high cost of Umrah and other challenges of the exercise,

    “Meanwhile, the quota of Nigeria for the 2016 Hajj remains 76,000 slots pending the outcome of a Committee set up by the Saudi Government to review the allocation of slots to all countries once the Haram expansion project is concluded.”

  • Hajj stampede: Nigeria’s death toll hits 145

    Hajj stampede: Nigeria’s death toll hits 145

    The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) yesterday said the death toll of Nigerians in the stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia has increased to 145.

    It added that 345 Nigerians were affected in the September 24 stampede with the injured standing at 35.

    One hundred and sixty-five pilgrims were still missing, the commission said.

    The commission’s Commissioner for Planning, Research, Statistic Information and Library Service (PRSILS), Dr. Saleh Okenwa, told reporters in Makkah that seven Nigerians were responding to treatments in hospital.

    He spoke at a joint news conference of the commission’s top management with the Chargé d’Affaires, Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh, Ambassador Tijjani Hammanjoda and the Nigerian Consul-General to Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Ahmed Umar, on the 2015 Hajj exercise and update on the stampede.

    The commission’s Commissioner of Operations, Alhaji Ibrahim Modibbo Saleh, said 29 of the 145 that died were from the tour operators. Nineteen were males and 10 were females.

    Saleh said one person was injured and 21 of those missing were also from the tour operators.

    “Those declared missing cannot be declared dead, since their corpses have not been identified and there are ongoing efforts to located them or identify their remains among the dead,” he said.

    Chairman of Medical Committee Dr. Ibrahim Kana said autopsies were being carried out on some of the corpses to ascertain the cause of their deaths and that some of the families of those that died have received the death certificates of their loved ones.

    He added that while the DNA matchings have been done for some of the immediate families of the victims in the holy land for identification, efforts were on to ensure that others in Nigeria can travel to Saudi Arabia or submit their blood sample for matching.

  • ‘No Cross River pilgrim killed in Hajj stampede’

    The Cross River State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has said no pilgrim from the state was among the dead in this year’s Hajj stampede in Saudi Arabia.

    Head of Islamic Affairs in the State Department of Religious Matters and Coordinator of the 2015 Hajj operations, Mallam Bello Audu, told reporters in Calabar, the state capital, that he had been in touch with the 37 pilgrims from the state, adding they were “hale and hearty”.

    Audu said: “We give glory to Almighty Allah that no pilgrim from the state was missing when a head count was done for the 37 pilgrims from the state in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. We also thank Governor Ben Ayade, who has promised to always listen to Muslims in Cross River State and give them their rights.

    “That nothing happened to the pilgrims from Cross River State shows that the governor’s prayers have been answered as a good believer and a man of God.

    “We regret the loss of lives at Jamarat. As Muslims, we condole with the affected persons and their families in Nigeria and in other countries with prayers that Almighty Allah will grant the dead Aljanna Firdaus (Paradise) as well as grant the victims’ families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

  • Hajj stampede: Saudi promises stronger ties with Nigeria

    The Saudi Arabian authorities have commiserated with Nigeria on the death of scores of its pilgrims in the hajj stampede.

    The Saudi government also assured Nigerians that the kingdom would strengthen their cultural and diplomatic relationship.

    The Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Makkah Region, Ambassador Mohammed Ahmed Al-Tayeb, gave the assurance on Sunday in Jeddah when he hosted the Nigerian delegation under the aegis of the Central Coordinating Team (CCT), led by Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II.

    He said: “Those that died are martyrs and may Allah accept their hajj and other ibadah (acts of worship) and may Allah grant the injured speedy recovery. The relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia dated to hundreds of years. I have Nigerian friends and there were Nigerians who were my teachers in primary school in Makkah. We (Nigeria and Saudi Arabia) have been one family, one nation, we share one faith, we have one God, one Prophet and one Ka’aba,” Al-Tayeb said.

    He also said the Saudi authority cannot continue to announce the casualty figures until the investigative committee set up by the Saudi ruler, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz submitted its report.

    He, however, warned against politicising the incident and commend all countries whose pilgrims were affected for their patience and cooperation.

    Emir Sanusi commended the kingdom for sustaining the relationship with Nigeria and the efforts rendered on the Jamarat incident and on the other efforts to ease hajj rites performance by pilgrims.

    He urged the ambassador to intervene in ensuring that Nigerians got better tents that would be closer to Jamarat in Mina to ease the hardship being encountered by Nigerian pilgrims.

    He also said the efforts of the Nigerian Hajj mission to ensure the welfare of Nigerians for the hajj exercise was hampered by the location of Nigerian tents in Mina.

  • ‘We lost a member in Hajj stampede’

    ‘We lost a member in Hajj stampede’

    ANSAR-UD-DEEN Society of Nigeria yesterday condoled with the family of a member, Imam Rasheed Quadri, who died in the September 24 Hajj stampede.

    A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Muibi Adebanjo, said the deceased was an interpreter at the late Iya-Alaso-Oke Mosque.

    Alhaji Adebanjo also disclosed that two of their members are still missing.

    “I pray we find them so that they can re-unite with their families. May Allah grant those who lost their lives Al-Jannah and grant those hospitalised quick recovery.”

    He described the incident as pathetic, enjoining the Saudi Arabia authorities to do thorough investigations to avoid future occurrence.

    The society plans special prayer nationwide on Sunday for the victims.

  • 150 Hajj stampede victims buried

    150 Hajj stampede victims buried

    Emir of Kano Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II,yesterday urged Saudi Authorities to publish details of victims of last Thursday’s Mina stampede on a dedicated website.

    The emir, who is the leader of the Nigeria Central Coordinating Team for the Hajj, made the call at the post-Arafat meeting organised by (NAHCON) in Jeddah.

    “At this age of technology, why can’t the Saudi authorities put the photos of the deceased on a website so that people can identify them easily without having to be moved from one hospital or place to another.

    “We have to demand for it,” Sanusi stressed.

    The Leader, Medical Team of NAHCON, Dr Ibrahim Kana, had earlier said that 1,180 bodies had been identified so far through frontal and lateral face photographs and finger prints.

    He, however, lamented that only 150 corpses had been buried so far by Saudi Authorities.

    Kana said of the 1,180 bodies identified, 64 were Nigerians, adding that 71 Nigerians had sustained injuries during the incident.

  • Kwara records four deaths in stampede

    Kwara records four deaths in stampede

    Four of Kwara State pilgrims were said to have died in the Muna stampede. Ten are still missing.

    People cried on Tuesday at the Ilorin International Airport when the first batch of the pilgrims returned.

    Some of the pilgrims shed tears while narrating their experience to their relations.

    An official of the National Hajj Commission, who craved anonymity, said four indigenes were confirmed dead during the stampede and a few were missing.

    The source said the first batch arrived with 580 and 413 main and hand luggage.

    Ex-Head of Service Mohammed Dabarako, who was among the first batch of 499 pilgrims, said some pilgrims from the state died in the stampede.

    Said he: “A man staying very close to me, I couldn’t see him again. Maybe he died or got missing. But I learnt three people from Kwara State died. Two of them were reportedly ill and old before going for the Hajj.

    “I don’t know which local government or part of the state these people were from. It is the state Welfare Board that can identify them. We learnt that 10 Kwarans were missing before we left. Nobody knows whether they are alive or dead.

    “I was lucky because I went with the Amirul-Hajj very early in the morning. When the stampede happened, we were surprised, because the security officials directed us.”

    Dabarako noted that the Saudi Arabia security could not be blamed completely for the incident because some of the pilgrims were stubborn, as they did not obey instructions.

    He urged intending pilgrims to be orderly, as it was an energy-consuming exercise, saying anybody very old should not be allowed to perform the Hajj.

    Secretary to the State Government Isiaka Gold said it was unfortunate that some people died, adding that full information about the Hajj would be known when the officials of the Welfare Board arrived.