The management of the Abdulmumini Foundation responsible for the distribution of Zakaat by a Bauchi-based philanthropist, and the CEO of AYM Shafa has taken full responsibility for the unfortunate stampede that caused the loss of lives on Sunday.
The Foundation, led by the Chairman, Zakaat Distribution, Professor Ahmad Muhammad Set’le, has gone around the houses of those who lost their lives during the incident to condole and emphasise with them, as well as share with them the moment of grief.
As of the time the committee members went around the victims’ houses within the Bauchi metropolis, the number of deaths had increased to eight, as another victim’s death occurred late Monday afternoon.
Ahmed Mohammed said that the event is an annual thing with the aim of assisting the poor in society, saying that “this year, the sum of N40 million was earmarked to be distributed to the people.”
The Professor of Animal Science at ATBU described the stampede as most unfortunate because it was not planned, saying, “We did not bargain for what we saw. The people that trooped out were not invited; they just heard about the distribution and came around.”
He added that “we had security coverage, people who were to ensure a hitch-free exercise, including the police, but because of the large crowd of people, they were not able to control them; the crowd was just too much.”
According to him, “In an effort to open the gate where we normally assemble people before the distribution, there were struggles to get to the front of the queue, to be the number One while others were sitting on the gate. So, those that were struggling to get to the front were trampled upon.”
Ahmed Mohammed further said, “Unfortunately, many of them became unconscious and were rushed to the hospital (ATBUTH), where some of them were later confirmed dead. I, myself, was so lucky not to be among them because I was pressed against the wall of the building, the iron bars of the gate really took a toll on my body, if you had seen me then, you would not believe.”
He stressed that the number of deaths remains eight and not more than that reported in some sections of the media, appealing for fact-checking before going to press in order not to mislead people or exacerbate the situation.
He also dismissed insinuations that the exercise was poorly organised, as the same thing happened in the previous year, saying, “That’s not true; I have been around all years; it is an annual event, and nothing bad happened last year. Whoever said that should prove it; as far as I know, as the Chairman of the Distribution Committee, we did not receive any such complaint last year.”
According to him,” We are going around to condole the families of the deceased; we are also as pained as they are. The wisdom of the Chairman of the Abdulmumini Foundation is all-embracing; we were supposed to have distributed it on Sunday; that is not a small amount of money; even the government sometimes cannot do that, but he does it every year to support the people of the state.”
Explaining further, he said, “We had gone far with the distribution for about 2 hours when we had the serious push by the people forcing us to stop the exercise because, at that time, there was one death, a development that actually helped to minimise the casualties.”
“Today we went round the houses to see the families. In his wisdom, the Chairman of the Foundation has given the sum of N250,000 distributed to them to enable them to serve people water while on condolences in addition to bags of rice, maize, and millet, not to pay for the lives lost but to assuage the pains. It was a successful visit, and we thank Allah for that.”
Suleimanu Adamu Duguri lost a daughter in the stampede, 20-year-old Maryam, and he said that it was an unfortunate accident but accepted in good fate as it came from Allah.
According to him,She would have been married anytime before Sallah, as the to-be husband had concluded all arrangements for the ceremony, but Allah wished it as it happened. He was here, and we have pacified him to take heart.”
Another parent of one of the victims, Aisha Suleiman, Sulaiman Adamu, said that his late daughter went to be part of the collection of Zakaat but met her death in the process, saying,” When I went to the hospital and saw her, I praised Allah for giving her to me and decided to take her back.”
He also said that, though it was painful, he should take it in good faith from Allah, commending the Foundation for the visit and praying that Allah will reward them.
Sulaiman Adamu however, said that there should be a new direction in the process, suggesting that “There should be proper process; people should not be made to troop out to one place to receive the support.”
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