By Our Reporter
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for a probe into the alleged stampede in Senator Aliyu Wamakko’s house following a surge of crowd scrambling for food.
The PDP in Sokoto which made the call on security agencies in the state to probe the incident, said the action became necessary as it was not the first time it was happening.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Sokoto State command, had confirmed that no fewer than nine people, including an official of the command, died while over 30 others sustained varying degrees of injury in the stampede.
The victims included a female officer of the NSCDC and eight other persons, who allegedly died in the incident.
Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Sokoto State Command, ASP Ahmad Rufai, confirmed the stampede but could not confirm the number of casualties as of the time of filling this report.
He said, “I cannot confirm the number of casualties for now.”
But reacting in a statement issued on Saturday, the PDP spokesman in the state, Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal, said, “We learnt of the very unfortunate stampede at the residence of the Senator Representing Sokoto North, Aliyu Wamakko, at Gawon Nama area in Sokoto, that resulted in the loss of lives and injuries during the distribution of Sallah items to crowds of people.
“The PDP, however, wishes to call on security agencies to launch a thorough investigation into the matter, to forestall the ugly incident in the future. This is not the first time it is happening at the same place, due to poor arrangements, without regard to the safety of human lives,” the party stated.
It, therefore, demanded payment of compensation to the families of those, who allegedly lost their lives and others who were injured in the incident.
