Yoruba World Congress Worldwide, YWC, has advised the Nigerian government to address the root causes of stampedes across the country so as to prevent further loss of lives and property.

YWC called on the federal, state governors and all local government authorities across the country to find lasting solutions to the widespread hunger, unemployment and poverty in the country.

The group made these assertions via a statement available to DAILY POST on Thursday through the trio of its Co-founder, Adekunle Ogundana, Secretary General, Stephen Ajayi and the Contact and Mobilisation Director, J.P Oyinade.

The group while speaking on the recent stampedes that occurred in Ibadan, Okija in Anambra and Maitama in Abuja, lamented that the root causes of the stampedes are poverty, unemployment and hunger.

It then called on the federal government and state governors to provide basic necessities of lives for the citizens to reduce the level of poverty in the country.

The group sympathised with the bereaved families and prayed that the innocent souls of the deceased rest in perfect peace.

The group also decried the continuous incarceration of the principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun Ibadan, Abdullahi Fasasi, proprietor of Agidigbo FM Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat and Olori Naomi Silekunola the estranged wife of Ooni of Ife Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi who were arrested in connection with the stampede in Ibadan.

It maintained that it is the government that should be held accountable for the loss of lives because it has failed in its responsibility to provide essential services for the citizens.

“We the members of Yorùbá World Congress Worldwide, YWC, are using this medium to advice the Nigerian government to address the root causes of stampedes across the country. This will go a long way to prevent further loss of lives and property.

“We are concerned about the continued incarceration of the principal of the school, Mr Abdullahi Fasasi, proprietor of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat and Olori Naomi Silekunola, who were arrested in connection with the stampede in Ibadan is abnormal.

“Since there was no law against organising charitable programs in Nigeria; it is very unfair to keep them in prison because they broke no law by giving a helping hand to the poor. It is the government that should be held accountable for the loss of lives because it has failed in its responsibility to provide essential services for the citizens. It was when the government failed in its responsibility to provide essential services for the people that philanthropists came out to assist the underprivileged”.

Address root causes of stampedes, don’t suppress philanthropists – Group tells Nigerian govt