ACN Seeks Probe Of Mass Deaths In Kwara

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has called on the appropriate authorities to urgently institute a probe into the May 27th mass deaths at the PDP campaign office in Kwara, as part of measures to prevent a recurrence of such tragedy.

In a statement issued in Ilorin, Kwara state on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the inquiry would unravel the causes of the tragedy, determine whether or not it could have been avoided as well as those who contributed to it.

It said such a probe was necessary in view of the claim by the Kwara state government that only two persons died, when it is common knowledge that the fatalities exceeded 70.

‘’Since the stampede in which the innocent souls perished was not the first of its kind in the state, it is necessary to find the root causes of such a senseless wastage of precious lives. If the death of over 30 people at the same venue last year, around the time of Eid-el-Kabir festival, had been properly investigated, this year’s deaths could have been avoided,’’ ACN said.

The party expressed shock at the dismissive attitude with which the state government has treated the issue, saying the untimely death of even one person should be of great concern to any government that is worth its salt, since the welfare and security of citizens are the ‘raison d’etre’ of any government.

‘’The reason over 70 innocent people were crushed to death in a stampede for handouts of cash and clothes cannot be unconnected with the mass poverty in Kwara, where the PDP government in the state has over the years impoverished the people with poor governance and the utter neglect of issues that can ensure better life for the masses.

‘’Only such crass poverty, which has been the lot of Kwarans under the PDP, can explain why hundreds of people will throng the so-called ‘Mandate House’ campaign office of the PDP for a mere pittance and cheap clothes. It is clear that the Abdulfatah Ahmed administration will be a continuation of the do-nothing Saraki government.

‘’We therefore call on the people of the state to work towards employing all democratic means to lift the yoke on their heads and put in place a government that will meet their yearnings and stop them from being reduced to pan-handlers,’’ ACN said.