Stampede: Lagos issues stern warnings to event organizers

As part of measures to avert any form of stampede, the lagos state government has warned everyone planning to organized any event, be it distribution of Christmas gifts, to seek clearance from the state safety commission in other to ensure that all safety measures are place, to forestall avoidable occurrences.

Cablenews24 reports that the Commissioner for information and strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, and his special duties counterpart, Gbenga Oyerinde, alongside other heads of security agencies in the state, issued the warning during a press conference held in Alausa, Ikeja, on Sunday.

Omotoso who stated that the state government feel concern about the stampede that happened in particularly residents of anambra and the federal capital territor, abuja, which claimed many lives and leaving many others injured, warned prospective event managers/planners in the state to ensure strict compliance to safety measures during this yuletide season and beyond.

Omotosho said the move becomes necessary following incidents of stampede in some parts of the country as well as a reported incident of a stage collapse at a beach event in Victoria Island, Lagos

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, therefore called on event organizers to make adequate preparation on crowd control before embarking on any philanthropic gestures and events to forestall stampedes.

He explained that henceforth, individuals, religious and corporate bodies that wish to hold any form of event in the state must register with the Lagos State Safety Commission or face the full wrath of the law.

“We are here on behalf of the governor to tell Lagosians that he feels concerned about the report of stamped in some parts of the country and will not want such happening here in Lagos. In Lagos state, we have adequate preparations for every big event and we do so every year, we used to have Greater Lagos Fiesta, this year, we added Boat Regatta and others.

“Unfortunately , we got a report that at Sol Beach Victoria Island, there was a stage collapsed during a show and fortunately nobody died in that incident. This has made us to say that we do not want the matter to just slide away.

“To prevent such occurrences in Lagos State, all individuals or groups that intend to hold an event or distribute any items at all to large gatherings of people are advised to seek clearance from the Safety Commission.” he said

Omotoso maintained that Lagos Safety Commission has a partnership with security agencies who are well equipped to control crowd and will connect individuals and groups to the appropriate agencies to proper operational event management.

He added: “Any act of charity should not turn tragic for our people, so to those who feel that the government is just doing this for nothing and can just gather a crowd and begin distribution of items and huge crowd beefs up and tragic incidents happen, the person will have him or herself to blame.”

On his part, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter- Governmental Relations, Mr. Gbenga Oyerinde urged Lagos residents to be their brother’s keeper by monitoring happenings in their environment, while enjoining them to always call the toll free numbers 767 and 112 in case of emergency.

Speaking on safety measures, Director -General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola said that the state has been conscious of the safety of the residents in the past years which was visibly demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mojola who identified rushing, negligence, complacency and frustration on part of the people during distribution of food items said that event planners must follow safety rules and residents or anyone who wish to do charity for people of over Two hundred and Fifty must engage the Agency through its website, www.lasgsafetyreg.com.

The event was well attended by other Heads of Agencies, including, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, the State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Neighbourhood Corp, among others.