Tragedy As Several Persons Killed In Zakkat Distribution Stampede In Bauchi
There was tragedy in Bauchi state in the past couple of days as several persons were feared killed as a result of stampede during the distribution of alms otherwise known as “Zakkat” in islamic religion.
The alms was being distributed courtesy of the notable businessman in the state Alhaji AYM Shafa, the owner of an oil company known as AYM Shafa.
According to reports, over 10 persons have allegedly lost their lives during the stampede.
DAYLIGHT REPORTERS gathered that people came out in mass to receive the Zakkat donated by the company as relief materials to the people especially the poor ones and less privileged observing Ramadan fast.
The massive turnout can also be ascribed to the current hardship in the land caused by hyper inflation in the prices of foodstuffs which made it unaffordable to low income earners.
Other sources claimed that 14 people died at the alms distribution and were buried on Sunday at the Dungulbi muslims cemetery in the state capital.
“I went to Bauchi Dungulbi cemetery on Sunday evening where 14 people were buried all women who died at the AYM Shafa office in Bauchi.”, a source claimed.
Commentators asked the company to adjust the way it distributes alms by coming up with an arrangement that will decentralise the place of the distribution.
Others advised that the company should give out the alms by proxy through Mosques and community leaders in the different parts of the state who should select the deserving beneficiaries and present the items to them.
Commenting on the awful event, a popular cleric in the state Sheikh Ibrahim Disina expressed sadness over the incident.
He said however that the number of the dead persons was exaggerated opining that they were not up to 10 persons.
He said the businessman should be lauded for the good gesture because there are many wealthy people who are supposed to give out the alms but do not do it the way Shafa does his own regularly and to large number of people.
But he advised that there should be an arrangement that should reduce the number of people collecting the alm at a go.
According to him, the stampede was caused due to the jostling and scrambling for the alms by the crowd over fear that it might not reach them.
“So as everyone was jostling to receive the alm first, then there was stampede resulting to deaths and injuries”, he pointed out.
Disina who said he was a stakeholder in the alms given by the philanthropist, said the man used to give the Zakkat by proxy in the past three years which helped in preventing stampede but lamented that corruption and diversion of the alms by those entrusted made the company to now give it directly.
He advised that adequate security should be provided at the distribution centre to stop people from making the place rowdy and causing stampede.
A lot of commentators have continued to express their opinions on the fatal stampede that led to deaths, with some of them blaming the company and the proprietor for being responsible for the deaths due to lack of proper arrangement and strategy to distribute the alms.
However, a citizen in the state Mohammed Sani Muazu castigated the critics of the business tycoon saying he had good intentions and that he should not be blamed for the sad event.
He decried that a lot of the critics of the company and the proprietor are only interested in controversies rather than being genuinely concerned about the people who died.
“Rather than all these noises, what the deceased persons need more from us is prayers for God’s mercy.”, he opined.
