We Won’t Give Ex-IGP Mohammed Adamu Our Votes Come 2027, Says Women Who Slumped, Suffered During Distribution Of Foodstuff
Rabiu Omaku
The Nasarawa State Correspondent of the Universal Reporters, in an interview with some of the affected victims of the stampede, which left many of the women casualties, unfolded their ordeal.
One of the victims who broke her leg during the stampede died four days after the incident. “We were left in the scorching sun from 8.00 am to 4 p.m. with no single takeaway, even with the pass given to me.
A victim of the Retired IGP foodstuff stampede at Doma Local Government Guest House early last month died four days after, a family member of the deceased attributed her death to the severe pains she had been through for four days.
The distribution turned rowdy, according to the beneficiaries, due to the inability of the organizers to allow them into the venue, the Local Government Guest House, where the partial exercise took place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
An eyewitness blamed the organizers for the lack of coordination to control a total of 1,200 women given passes by the team of a Gubernatorial aspirant of Nasarawa State under the auspices of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Retired IGP, Adamu Abubakar Mohammed.
In a separate interview with the aggrieved beneficiaries, they promised not to give the immediate past Inspector General of Police their votes come the 2027 Governorship election should he emerge as the flag bearer of the APC.
The victims explained that they were allegedly manhandled by the joint security agencies stationed at the Guest House.
Rabi Abdullahi Onawo, a resident of Dadinkowa, Sabon Gari electoral ward of Doma Local Government, buttressed that the majority of women were not given the foodstuff and money worth N3000, while those from Ekye, we learnt, were given N10,000.
She averred that the victims were denied access to the benevolence of the immediate past Inspector General of Police, whom some onlookers said the foodstuff concealed in “Ghana Must Go “was worth N40,000 to N36,000 plus N3,000 cash that was not brought to the target audience.
She further explained that the distribution of the foodstuff and cash was compromised by the team set up to coordinate the distribution of the items. She, in addition, explained that the distribution was more of selective Justice except if you are connected with the officials inside.
Patu Ahmadu Danlami is a health practitioner with the Nasarawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, In an exclusive interview with her, she told this platform that she almost slumped outside the gate if not an interference from other women who hold her firm, She explained that majority of the womenfolk were outside the gate while operational vehicles of some security agencies are busy loading the foodstuff out of the Guest House.
Patu further confided that she went to the Guest House healthy but returned with sickness due to the stampede.
“Four days after the incident, I’m yet to regain my health. I was given drips, yet struggling with my health, my brother buttressed.
Bilkisu Baba Aso in an interaction with Universal Reporters’ reporter, said I’m a blind woman and I was given a pass to collect foodstuff and cash given by the immediate past Inspector General of Police, Adamu Abubakar Mohammed. I left the Guest House disappointed as a downtrodden amongst the energetic beneficiaries waiting anxiously for my share.
‘I don’t see but the shout people are shouting is enough, I’m unfortunate, and I’m waiting for them to come back to us by 2027. We will not forget these intrigues so soon.
Aisha Ogbose, a food vendor along Alhaji Jafaru Street, Lafia road, Doma, also revealed her own side of the tales, giving a damned verdict of the entire exercise.
Aisha confirmed that she was given a pass by one of the organizers a day before the commencement of the distribution exercise. I was at the venue, though outside the Guest House, and I saw a woman who had broken her leg at the gate, with some women who had slumped because of the scorching sun.
“As far as I’m concerned, I have vowed never to support this kind of politician as the Governor of Nasarawa State.
While reacting, Rabi Rabiu also gave her own verdict of her experience during the exercise at Doma Local Government Guest House, opining that nothing was given to them despite the struggle and suffering faced by beneficiaries.
Describing the distribution as “one chance exercise’
But Adamu Alhassan, head of the coordinators of the distribution of retired IGP Adamu Abubakar Mohammed’s benevolence, in a chat with Universal Reporters, responded that, “I will tell you that the program targeted vulnerable women with disabilities, widows, and low-income households.
A target of 1000 women was selected across 10 wards of Doma Local Government Area, with appointed committee members in consultation with APC Party Chairmen, traditional leaders, and opinion leaders.
An extra 200 packs of Macaroni were added to handle excess demand. Meanwhile, all items were peacefully distributed under the supervision and control of the Divisional Police Officer, Doma police division, and representatives of DSS, Civil Defense, and other relevant security outfits in Doma.
At the time of this distribution, no records of casualties until after that, when the gates were opened for those who got their items and were leaving, and people jumped in, taking items that were left for them to cart away. And for those we had issues with are not more than 4, which we followed and found out they are all in good health. No death recorded.
Before the commencement of the distribution, 3000 was mentioned to be given to each beneficiary, and no specification of whether you are from within Doma or outside Doma, Alhassan added.
Scores of women slumped during the exercise, and some of the casualties are still nursing their health one month after the distribution at Doma Guest House was plainly a survival of the fittest. Some of the victims did not want their names mentioned in print.
