ABUJA: Nine injured victims of Saturday’s stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja have been discharged from the Maitama District Hospital.
The development came as the Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike ordered free treatment for all victims of the stampede.
The victims were part of those who had thronged the Parish to partake in its annual food outreach to the needy.
In a statement on Saturday, by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, government hospitals were directed to treat those that were injured in the stampede free of charge.
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The Minister, who directed that police permission should henceforth be obtained by individuals or organizations planning public distribution of palliatives, either food items or cash, said it was painful that 10 lives were lost in the stampede.
While praying for the repose of the souls of the lives that were lost and fortitude for their families to bear the irreparable loss, Wike assured that the government will ensure that those injured were given adequate medical attention.
The FCT Minister commended the Police and other security agencies for their prompt intervention, adding that the promptness in which security agencies responded to the incident was commendable.
Meanwhile, the Acting Director General of the FCT Emergency Management Department FEMD, Engr Abdulrahman Mohammed has commiserated with the Church and family members of victims.
The stampede which claimed 10 lives including 4 children, also injured 10 persons.
The stampede occurred while the church was distributing palliatives to the less privileged members of the society.
Abdulrahman who confirmed that nine of the 10 injured victims had been discharged, appealed to organizations which intend to give out food items to the less privileged to involve security agencies or FEMD.
He also advised such organizations to use coupons and divide the prospective beneficiaries into groups to avoid stampedes
Engr. Abdulrahman further appealed to residents to use the 112 emergency toll free number in the event of a disaster.