The National Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, has voiced deep concern over the recent stampedes that claimed the lives of about 65 Nigerians in Oyo State, Anambra State, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He attributed these tragedies to the growing hunger and poverty crisis in the country, describing hunger as a dire epidemic.
Alhaji Ibrahim lamented the frequency of such incidents, stating that the scale of loss, in the absence of natural disasters, highlights the severity of the hunger epidemic.
In the past few days, approximately 40 children perished in a stampede during a carnival in Ibadan, Oyo State. Similarly, 20 residents of Okija in Anambra State lost their lives in a stampede at a palliative distribution event. On the same day, over 10 people died in Abuja during a food distribution organized by Catholic churches for vulnerable populations.
“These tragic events all point to one undeniable reality: there is hunger in the land,” Alhaji Ibrahim remarked.
He cited data from the World Bank, which estimated Nigeria’s poverty rate at 38.9% in 2023, with 87 million citizens living below the poverty line. This figure has since risen to 40.7%, making Nigeria the country with the second-largest impoverished population globally, after India.
Ibrahim also highlighted other tragedies linked to poverty, such as people risking their lives to collect fuel from accident scenes, leading to fatal infernos. He pointed out that kidnappings have surged, with over 2 million people abducted in the last year, resulting in $1.42 billion in ransom payments.
“One major driver of crime is hunger,” he said. “Millions of Nigerians are grappling with hunger caused by rising inflation and poor economic management. The Tinubu administration’s economic reforms have only deepened the hardship. Hunger is becoming an epidemic, and many Nigerians cannot endure this crisis much longer.”
He recalled the Labour Party’s warning before the 2023 general elections about the need to shift from consumption-driven policies to production-focused ones. “We are now at a crossroads. The government must prioritize food production in 2024. Over 70% of Nigeria’s arable land lies fallow, and the aquatic economy is stagnant. The ministries responsible for these sectors must be made to function effectively.”
Alhaji Ibrahim stressed that the government’s primary duty is to protect lives and property. “Yet, as we see, the lives of Nigerians no longer seem to matter. While many are killed by kidnappers, others die while desperately trying to survive. The government must take immediate action to address the hunger crisis and reduce poverty levels. The statistics are grim, and the Nigerian people deserve better,” he concluded.
