Following the tragic stampede in Okija, Anambra State, during a palliative distribution event, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, has acknowledged that no formal laws currently exist to manage large gatherings, but assured that steps are being taken to address this gap.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday about the absence of formal guidelines, Mefor stated, “The issue of crowd control is essentially left to the police and security agencies. We don’t have what you may call a regulatory framework like a law or something.”
Mefor explained that crowd control is primarily the responsibility of security agencies but noted that Anambra’s community structures, such as town unions, village heads, and ward leaders, could have been utilised to manage the situation.
He stated, “Anambra is made up of 179 communities, perhaps a little more. Each of these towns and communities have unions, they have villages, they have leadership. You have ward leaders apart from the village heads. Ordinarily, when a huge population is anticipated in a matter such as this, what should have been done was to utilise these structures that exist. And many actually do so, because I’m aware that some people who share palliatives pass through the town union leadership. And this is what is on ground and what ought to have been utilised, not just by Obi Jackson but by any other person that should be sharing palliatives and likely to attract a huge number of people.”
Acknowledging the urgent need for formal measures, Mefor confirmed that the state government is working on creating a regulatory framework to manage large gatherings and distribution events.
He said, “If you saw the press statement put out there by the chief press secretary to the governor, you will see that that contemplation is already on, that certainly some kind of regulation will be put in place going forward. It is necessary now.”
In the meantime, Mefor urged philanthropists and organisers of large events to utilise the existing community structures to ensure order and safety. “Like I said, individuals should also try to utilise structures that are already in place,” he advised. “And the state certainly will do something to put some kind of regulation on ground.”
Mefor also clarified that Anambra State has emergency response mechanisms, including the 5111 hotline, which citizens can call during crises.
He said, “There are numbers for responses to emergencies such as this. For example you have 5111. That’s an emergency number in Anambra state and there are other numbers as well. There are statutory agencies in Anambra state that respond depending on what has really happened.”
Melissa Enoch
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