Former Vice President and presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress ADC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has expressed sorrow over reports that three persons died in a stampede at the Niger State Government House after a crowd gathered amid reports that N10,000 would be distributed.
Reacting on Wednesday through the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku commiserated with the families of the deceased and called for care for the injured persons.
‘Three Nigerians reportedly went to Government House and did not return home. I mourn them with their families. I pray for those who were injured and call for their immediate care,’ Atiku said.
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He said the incident reflects economic pressure on households and called for the distribution of support to be organised with dignity and the safety of people as a priority.
Atiku called on Niger State Government to establish the full circumstances of the deaths, publish account of how gathering was announced and managed, and provide support to bereaved families and injured persons.
‘There must be no attempt to blame victims for seeking help. The question for those in authority is how three lives came to be lost at gates of government, and what will be done to ensure it never happens again,’ he said.
He said tragedy, coming ahead of Independence Day, calls for efforts to make life more affordable and ensure safety in distribution of government support.