Police Arrest Catholic Priest, Officials Over Fatal Abuja Stampede

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested the parish priest and officials of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, following a tragic stampede during a charity event that claimed at least ten lives. The incident occurred on Saturday during the distribution of groceries to the less privileged at the church’s car park.

The arrests were confirmed on Wednesday by both church officials and the police. In his Christmas message titled “Christmas: A Season of Hope and Renewal,” the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Ignatius Kaigama, condemned the arrests as “uninspiring, unfriendly, and a misplaced zeal.” Archbishop Kaigama urged authorities to focus on supporting the church and the victims rather than pursuing legal action.

The police, however, attributed the tragedy to negligence. FCT Police Command spokesperson Josephine Adeh questioned the lack of security arrangements for an event of such magnitude. “Ten lives, including children, were lost, and many others were injured. Doesn’t this warrant arrest?” she said. While she did not confirm if the arrested individuals included the parish priest, she indicated that those directly involved in organizing the event were detained.

The stampede, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, was reportedly triggered by a crowd surge as thousands of attendees attempted to access the distribution point. Witnesses revealed that over 3,000 people, mostly from nearby settlements like Mpape and Gishiri, had gathered hours before the event. Some attendees failed to form orderly queues, leading to chaos at one of the church gates. Survivors recounted the harrowing experience, and a parish security official described the situation as overwhelming.

President Bola Tinubu also addressed the incident during his first presidential media chat on Monday, blaming poor planning by the event organizers for the stampedes in Abuja, Oyo, and Anambra. Over 60 people reportedly died across the three locations. “This is a grave error on the part of the organizers,” President Tinubu said, emphasizing the need for better coordination.

In response to the tragedies, the Acting Director of FCT Emergency Management Department, Abdulrahman Mohammed, confirmed on Monday that all those injured in the Abuja incident had been discharged from the hospital. The police have since issued new guidelines for organizing large gatherings to prevent future occurrences.