Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has summoned a meeting of all safety agencies in the State following recent stampedes witnessed in different parts of the country.
Recall that on December 18, a tragic incident occurred in Ibadan, Oyo State, where a stampede at a children’s funfair resulted in the death of about 35 children, leaving many others injured.
Similarly, in the early hours of Saturday, another tragedy struck at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, during the distribution of food items to vulnerable and elderly individuals. This unfortunate incident led to the death of 10 people, with many others injured.
A similar incident occurred on the same Saturday in Anambra at a palliative distribution centre, resulting in the death of several individuals.
To prevent such occurrences in Lagos State, Governor Sanwo-Olu has directed all individuals or groups that intend to distribute items to large gatherings of people to seek clearance from the Lagos State Safety Commission.
According to a statement by Gbenga Omotoso, Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, the Lagos State Safety Commission is well-equipped to ensure that such events do not turn tragic.
“The agency has a partnership with security agencies to ensure crowd control at locations with large numbers of people. Individuals and groups can register their events and get clearance through the Safety Commission’s platform http://lasgsafetyreg.com,” Omotoso stated.
The Lagos State Government threatened that “any group that flouts these measures will surely face the legal consequences of its indiscretion”.
He added: “The Government has activated all its safety mechanisms, following a directive from Mr. Governor who has also summoned a meeting of all safety agencies.
“Besides, Mr. Governor has directed that the ongoing advocacy against fire and flooding, among others, should be strengthened”.
