Federal Gov’t Unveils Safety Measures to Prevent Stampedes in Palliative Distribution

The Federal Government has outlined comprehensive safety protocols to prevent stampedes and fatalities during palliative distribution, following tragic incidents last week in Abuja, Oyo, and Anambra States.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Nentawe Yilwatda, speaking on Channels Television, expressed condolences to the families of the victims and stressed the importance of adhering to structured protocols during such events.

Key Protocols for Palliative Distribution

Yilwatda emphasized that poorly organized events contribute to crowd-related hazards and highlighted the following measures to ensure safety:

1. Registration and Beneficiary Selection
   • Organizers must require beneficiaries to register in advance to manage turnout.
   • Beneficiaries should be pre-selected to avoid overcrowding at distribution sites.
2. Distribution Points and Ratios
   • Multiple distribution points should be established in densely populated areas to prevent bottlenecks.
   • Organizers must ensure an appropriate ratio between the population size and the number of beneficiaries.
3. Involvement of Security Agencies
   • The police and other security agencies should be notified in advance.
   • Security personnel should be present at distribution venues to maintain order.
4. Risk Assessments and Vulnerability Checks
   • Event sites must undergo a thorough risk assessment to identify and mitigate potential hazards.
   • Vulnerability checks should be conducted to prioritize the most at-risk individuals.
5. Crowd Management and Event Coordination
   • A dedicated crowd management team must be established.
   • Protocol officers should arrive early to oversee check-ins and monitor crowd behavior.
   • If a venue becomes overcrowded, the event should be postponed or restructured.

Need for Collaboration and Adoption of National Protocols

Yilwatda urged state and local governments, as well as religious and community organizations, to adopt these federal-level protocols to ensure consistency across the nation.

He also encouraged groups lacking resources to collaborate with the federal government for support in implementing these measures.

“State and local governments must domesticate these protocols for them to be effective. Even at the community level, event organizers must follow proper procedures to ensure safety,” Yilwatda advised.

Federal Government’s Approach

The Minister highlighted that at the federal level, these protocols have been successfully implemented in challenging environments, such as internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, without incidents.

“The protocols include informing the police, selecting appropriate venues, listing beneficiaries, and conducting risk assessments. These measures are critical in preventing chaos and ensuring safe distributions,” he stated.

Yilwatda also stressed the role of social media in spreading information about events and the importance of managing public communication to avoid uncontrollable crowds.

Final Thoughts

Yilwatda reiterated the federal government’s commitment to minimizing hazards during palliative distributions. “We must ensure that these good intentions do not lead to tragedy. Organizers must follow the laid-out safety protocols to protect lives,” he concluded.