CASER Urges FG to Take Responsibility for Food Stampede Deaths, Demands Compensation for Victims
By Queen Kunde
The Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER) has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to take full responsibility for the recent food stampedes in Oyo, Anambra, and Abuja, which resulted in the tragic loss of lives.
In a strongly worded statement, CASER challenged President Bola Tinubu’s position that the responsibility lies with the organizers of the food distribution events, including religious and charitable organizations.
CASER argued that the government should be held accountable for failing to ensure public order, safety, and security at the events, where the right to food, which is a fundamental human right, was denied in the most tragic manner.
The organization emphasized that it is the government’s duty, through first responders and law enforcement agencies, to foresee and prevent such disasters.
In light of the government’s failure to prevent the stampedes, CASER is demanding that it provides fair compensation of at least 100 million Naira to each of the victims’ families and absolves the organizers from any criminal liability.
The organization also warned that it would pursue both national and international legal channels if the government fails to meet these demands.
CASER’s statement underscores the growing concerns over the impact of Nigeria’s economic policies on citizens’ access to basic rights, including the right to food, and calls for swift justice for the victims of the stampedes.
