Did Tinubu 'Dance on The Graves' of Anambra, Abuja Stampede Victims? Fact Emerges
- At least 32 people, including children, were killed in two incidents in Nigeria as large crowds gathered to collect food and clothing distributed at annual Christmas events
- The stampedes caused sorrow and concern as public officials issued messages of condolence
- Amid the tragedy, a well-followed social media user insinuated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu showed insensitivity to the feelings of the bereaved families; however, Legit.ng's fact-check uncovered an attempt to mislead the public
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 4 years of experience in fact-checking.
Ikeja, Lagos state - An X (formerly Twitter) user with a considerable amount of social media following, claimed that President Bola Tinubu is "a critical failure in governance".
The verified X user, @PO_GrassRootM, alleged that President Tinubu 'danced and celebrated' in Lagos state "while Nigerians are dying struggling for a half bag of rice" - an apparent reference to the recent stampedes in Oyo and Anambra states, as well as Abuja.
Source: Facebook
The person who made the claim is a staunch supporter of Peter Obi, the presidential flagbearer of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election.
The 22-second clip portraying Tinubu in a bad light which was published on Saturday, December 21, has garnered over 32, 600 views, 50+ replies, more than 160 reposts, and over 360 likes.
Its caption reads:
"Bola Tinubu a critical failure in governance dancing and celebrating in Lagos State while Nigerians are dying struggling for a half bag of rice."
Given the virality of the claim, Legit.ng fact-checked it.
Video of Tinubu from January 2023
Legit.ng's investigation showed the video posted by @PO_GrassRootM was from the January 2023 presidential campaign event held by the All Progressives Congress (APC) youth directorate and not of Tinubu on Saturday, December 21, 2024.
Watch the video below as posted on January 6, 2023, by TVC News:
Civil society leader suggests crowd control measures
Meanwhile, the recent spate of stampedes in various parts of the country, which claimed the lives of at least 67 people, including 35 children, has raised concerns about the need for better crowd control measures.
The tragic incidents have led to an urgent call from a civil society leader, who noted that the fatal stampedes could have been averted with better crowd management and safety measures in place.
Speaking exclusively with Legit.ng, John Andah, executive director of ImpactHouse Centre for Development Communication, said:
"The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) must take a proactive role in identifying hunger hotspots and deploying resources efficiently, while also training local officials in disaster prevention and crowd management.
"On their part, state governments, in collaboration with local structures such as community leaders and faith-based organisations, should ensure that palliatives are delivered directly to households in need, reducing the necessity for large public gatherings altogether."
Tinubu cancels Lagos appearances following fatal stampedes
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Tinubu announced the suspension of all official outings in Lagos, including the 2024 Lagos Boat Regatta.
Tinubu's action was to honour the victims of stampedes in Abuja and Anambra state.
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Source: Legit.ng
