Kunle Adelabu
-Council commences investigation into incident
Tragedy struck at Ajagunro in Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area of Ikorodu Division, Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria, on Friday, May 15, 2020, as about six persons died in a stampede during a food distribution exercise by Rosula Foundation.
The unfortunate incident happened at Ajagunro Primary School, Isawo road, Asolo area of Ikorodu West LCDA.
THE IMPACT gathered that the incident is being looked into by the Ikorodu West LCDA authority. The principal officers of the council, according to report, were not aware of the matter until late Saturday and early Sunday morning.
It was also gathered that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Owutu Police Station was neither aware of the distribution by the Rosula foundation nor the tragedy that followed.
We gathered that some of the victims of the distribution exercise were buried on Saturday.
One of the victims was a single parent identified as Mrs Morenike Awe who we gathered fell down before she was crushed to death during the stampede.
She left behind Dorcas Awe 9, and Joshua Awe 12.
In a phone chat with Hon. (Princess) Jumoke Jimbo – Ademehin, the Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, who heard about the sad development on Sunday (yesterday), described it as sad and disturbing.
She stated that she has made contact with necessary security units in the council to confirm the incident but none of them was aware of the situation.
“We were not aware about the distribution and the incident that followed. I have made enquiry from necessary security formation but none of them was also aware of the incident, not even the Owutu DPO”, she said.
“This is very disturbing and sad. How could a responsible organization come into a council to do such thing without notifying the authority or call on the security units for assistance?”, she queried.
“We have launched investigation into the matter and we are going to be visiting the scene and make necessary findings into the activities of the foundation and where they came from.
Hon. Tejumaiye Adeyanju Julius, the Deputy Council Leader of the council who is also representing the ward where the incident took place, also said that he did not know about the unfortunate incident until much later.
He stated that he has made contact with the traditional leader in the area (Baale) and other stakeholders in the community to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“I was not aware that something of such (the distribution exercise) was going to take place. But later that day, people started calling me to inform me about a food distribution at Ajaguro Pry school, but I told them that I was not aware.
“However, about one and half hour ago (on Sunday), Baale Ajaguro called to inform me of the ugly incident that followed, stating that about six people died at the venue probably due to the struggle by people at the venue in the quest to collect the food items being distributed.
“I have started looking into the matter. The Baale and I are scheduled to meet at the primary school where the incident occurred tomorrow (today) to ascertain how, why and what happened.
“The Local Government Authority was not aware that the NGO was coming to distribute food items in the area.
“We are meeting with the school authority to know who gave them (the foundation) the permission to use the venue and also to get more information about the NGO and some other necessary information”, he said.
Attempts to reach the foundation as at the time of publishing this proved abortive.
