The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigama, has said it would be wrong to blame the church for the rice-sharing stampede that occurred in December 2024.
Henzodaily reported that 10 citizens died at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, on 21st December, in Maitama, Abuja, during Christmas palliative distribution.
He stated this while delivering his Homily at a Special Memorial Church Service in honour of the stampede victims, on Sunday.
Kaigama explained that it was heightened economic hardship caused by government policies that should be blamed for reducing the citizens’ human dignity.
He stressed that the Church was not negligent in the management of the crowds leading to the deaths of the victims.
“Certainly, due to the heightened economic hardship affecting many families in the country. It was never because we were negligent that they came. It was because they were hungry that they came.
“Their hunger is not the fault of the Catholic Church. If you are looking for a culprit, please cast your eyes elsewhere. Certainly not the Catholic Church,” he said.
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja noted that no Nigeria ought to struggle for what to eat. He called on government to work out policies that would address biting hardship in the country.
“No one, I repeat, no one should be allowed to die a needless death just struggling for what to eat. Is it not shameful that we shall say in the future and in history that people died here simply struggling for what to eat?
“Is it not a shame to the nation? And when the international community hears about it, they also wonder what is happening to Nigeria with our huge and vast human and natural resources,” he added.