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Stampedes: You’ve Weaponized Poverty on Nigerians – HURIWA Tells Tinubu, State Govs
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed grave concern over the spate of deadly stampedes occurring across the country, attributing the tragedies to the government’s failure to address worsening economic conditions.
The advocacy group accused both federal and state governments of “weaponizing poverty,” creating an environment where desperate citizens now risk their lives scrambling for basic necessities that were affordable just months ago.
The group condemned the most recent stampede in Maitama, Abuja, where ten individuals, including four children, lost their lives during a food distribution exercise at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Similarly, the group decried the crowd crush at a school fair in Ibadan, which claimed the lives of at least 35 children, and the stampede in Okija, Anambra State, where multiple casualties were recorded during the distribution of palliatives.
HURIWA lamented that these stampedes are the result of severe hunger and deprivation fueled by skyrocketing inflation, poor economic policies, and the weaponization of poverty.
“Nigerians are dying while rushing for staple foods that were affordable just a few weeks before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office.
The government’s inability to implement effective economic policies has pushed millions into desperation,” the group stated.
The Maitama incident, which occurred during a charitable outreach to the vulnerable and elderly, claimed ten lives and left eight others injured. In Ibadan, the deaths of 35 children at a school fair organized by the Wings Foundation and Agidigbo FM Radio shocked the nation, while the stampede in Anambra State highlighted the peril of poorly organized relief efforts in a country where millions live in poverty.
According to HURIWA, the removal of fuel subsidies without adequate cushioning measures has exacerbated the cost of living crisis, forcing many Nigerians into extreme poverty.
With over 133 million Nigerians classified as multi-dimensionally poor, according to recent reports, the group noted that hunger and deprivation have reached unprecedented levels.
“This government has turned poverty into a weapon, creating a situation where citizens are dying to secure basic sustenance. This is not governance; it is a tragedy,” HURIWA asserted.
The association emphasized that these recurring stampedes are symptomatic of a deeper crisis in Nigeria’s socio-economic fabric. It warned that the country is dangerously close to the brink of becoming a failed state. “When citizens die in droves just to access food, it is clear that the state is failing in its primary responsibility of safeguarding the lives and welfare of its people,” HURIWA said.
The advocacy group criticized President Tinubu’s administration for implementing poorly thought-out policies that have worsened the economic situation. It pointed out that the rising cost of staple foods, transportation, and other essential goods has left millions unable to meet basic needs.
“Before this administration, staple foods like rice and garri were within reach for the average Nigerian. Today, these have become luxury items, accessible only to a few,” HURIWA noted.
The association also accused state governments of compounding the problem by failing to prioritize grassroots development and welfare. It cited instances where poorly organized charitable events and palliative distributions have led to fatal stampedes, as seen in Anambra and other states.
HURIWA called for an immediate review of economic policies at both federal and state levels, urging leaders to prioritize the welfare of citizens over political and personal gains. “Governments must stop paying lip service to poverty alleviation and take real steps to address the root causes of hunger and deprivation,” the group stated.
The association proposed several measures to prevent future tragedies and address the underlying causes of the current crisis. These include the immediate implementation of comprehensive social safety net programs to provide food, healthcare, and financial assistance to vulnerable populations. HURIWA also called for massive investments in agriculture to increase food production and reduce dependency on imports.
Also, the group urged the federal government to introduce tax relief measures for low-income earners and small businesses to ease the economic burden. It also advocated for the creation of job opportunities through public works programs and partnerships with the private sector.
HURIWA stressed the need for better coordination of relief efforts to prevent overcrowding and ensure safety during palliative distributions. It called on event organizers to collaborate with local authorities and law enforcement agencies to manage large crowds and maintain order.
The advocacy group further emphasized the importance of accountability and citizen participation in governance. It urged Nigerians to demand transparency and hold their leaders accountable for policies that impoverish the masses.
HURIWA also called on President Tinubu’s administration to reverse policies that have exacerbated poverty and introduce people-centered reforms to rebuild public trust.
“This government must realize that the survival of its people is non-negotiable. Urgent steps must be taken to address the root causes of these tragedies and prevent Nigeria from sliding further into chaos,” the group stated.
As the holiday season approaches, HURIWA appealed to wealthy individuals and organizations to step up their philanthropic efforts to assist the less privileged. However, it stressed the need for such activities to be well-coordinated to avoid further tragedies.
The group reiterated its warning that Nigeria is on the verge of a socio-economic collapse. It called on all levels of government to act decisively to reverse the trend and restore hope to the millions of Nigerians struggling to survive.
“The lives lost in Abuja, Ibadan, Anambra, and elsewhere are a grim reminder of the cost of inaction. The government must stop weaponizing poverty and take immediate steps to address the root causes of this crisis. Failure to act now will only push Nigeria further toward the precipice of a failed state,” HURIWA declared.
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The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has called on African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race over a controversial $500,000 payment made to his former wife, Jennifer Douglas, during negotiations surrounding the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.
The demand followed revelations from a final award issued by a three-member International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration tribunal in Paris in the long-running dispute between Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited and the Federal Government.
The tribunal ruled in favour of Nigeria, rejecting Sunrise Power’s claims and ordering the company and its promoter, Leno Adesanya, to reimburse Nigeria for 75 per cent of its legal costs.
At the centre of the controversy is a $500,000 transfer made by Adesanya on January 30, 2003, through China Castle Investments Limited, an offshore company he controlled, into Douglas’s Citibank account in the United States.
The payment came less than four months before Sunrise was purportedly awarded a 3,960-megawatt Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract for the Mambilla project in Taraba State.
Tribunal Questions $500,000 Payment
During the arbitration, Adesanya told the tribunal that the $500,000 was part of a foreign-exchange transaction carried out on behalf of Atiku.
However, the tribunal did not accept the explanation, noting the absence of documentary evidence showing the underlying naira payment, exchange rate, instructions from Atiku or his aides, correspondence relating to the transaction or records establishing its commercial purpose.
The tribunal also noted that neither Atiku nor Douglas testified or submitted witness statements to corroborate Adesanya’s account.
It further questioned the explanation because the payment was made during the period when Sunrise was pursuing the Mambilla project and months before the company was purportedly awarded the contract.
The tribunal’s findings, however, concerned the evidence and claims before it in the arbitration; they did not establish in the award that Atiku personally received a bribe.
Mambilla Contract Controversy
The Mambilla project, initially conceived in 1982 as a 3,050MW hydropower scheme, later became the subject of negotiations involving Sunrise and its Chinese partner.
Sunrise expressed interest in developing the project from 2001 and subsequently submitted proposals to the Federal Government.
A technical committee eventually recommended Sunrise for the 3,960MW project in March 2003.
Former Minister of Power Olu Agunloye later issued a letter which Sunrise relied upon as evidence that it had been awarded the project.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, however, maintained that the Federal Executive Council never approved the contract and that he directed the withdrawal of the relevant memorandum.
The disputed letter subsequently became central to Sunrise’s multibillion-dollar arbitration claims against Nigeria.
APC Accuses Atiku of Conflict of Interest
Reacting to the tribunal’s findings, APC Presidential Campaign Council spokesman Dele Alake accused Atiku and Agunloye of working together to facilitate the disputed Sunrise contract.
Alake described the $500,000 payment as an alleged bribe connected to the Mambilla deal and argued that its timing raised questions about a possible conflict of interest involving Atiku, who was vice-president at the time.
The APC spokesman also criticised Atiku for not appearing as a witness before the tribunal, saying his testimony could have helped clarify the circumstances surrounding the payment.
The campaign council subsequently demanded that Atiku withdraw from the 2027 presidential contest.
Long-Running Mambilla Legal Battle
The dispute over the Mambilla project has continued for years.
Sunrise previously pursued billions of dollars in claims against Nigeria, alleging breaches relating to the proposed project.
A surviving miner has alleged that an unidentified substance was sprayed inside a detention cell shortly before several suspected illegal miners began collapsing while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.
The survivor made the allegation while recounting his experience in detention during a visit to the state by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
According to the miner, detainees were locked inside a cell before an unidentified substance was sprayed into the facility.
He alleged that shortly after the substance was released, some of the detainees began experiencing difficulties before collapsing.
«“They sprayed something inside the cell after locking us in, and people began collapsing,” the survivor reportedly said.»
The allegation comes amid growing scrutiny over the circumstances surrounding the deaths of suspected illegal miners who were detained by security authorities in Niger State.
The survivor did not identify the substance allegedly sprayed inside the cell, nor did he state who allegedly authorised or carried out the action.
He also did not provide details on the number of detainees who were affected or establish whether the alleged spraying directly caused any of the reported deaths.
The NSCDC and other relevant authorities have yet to publicly respond to the specific allegation.
The account is likely to intensify calls for a thorough investigation into the treatment of the detainees and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Establishing what happened inside the cell would require further investigation, including determining the identity of the substance allegedly used, who introduced it into the facility and whether there was any link between the incident and the subsequent collapse or deaths of detainees.
Enugu State politician, Prince Ikechukwu Oloto, also known as Okanga Moo, has reportedly been killed in an attack at his residence in Nsukka Local Government Area of the state.
Oloto was allegedly attacked by unknown assailants at his home in the Odenigbo area of Nsukka on Thursday evening.
According to reports by Daily Post, the attackers invaded the politician’s residence and killed him during the incident. The report further alleged that a knife was used in the attack.
The circumstances surrounding the reported killing remain unclear, while the identities and motive of the attackers had not been established as of the time of filing this report.
The incident was also reported on Facebook by social media influencer Sen. Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, who claimed that Oloto was killed at his Odenigbo residence.
The reported killing comes amid heightened political activities and preparations ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. However, there is currently no confirmed information linking the attack to Oloto’s political activities.
The Enugu State Police Command had yet to publicly confirm the reported killing or disclose whether an investigation had commenced as of the time of filing this report.
Further details are expected as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Just in: APC Demands Atiku Quit 2027 Race Over $500,000 Mambilla Payment
Niger Deaths: Survivor Alleges Substance Was Sprayed in Cell Before Detainees Collapsed
Just in: Enugu Politician Ikechukwu Oloto Reportedly Killed in Nsukka Home Attack
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