The Trade Union Congress has described Saturday’s stampede at the venues of the aptitude test of the Nigeria Immigration Service as a disaster.
While seven persons were reported dead in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, three died at the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and another two in Minna, Niger State.
Four other persons died at other centres in Owerri, Imo State and Benin, Edo State, among others.
Reacting to the development on Sunday, the TUC called for an immediate investigation into the matter.
It also called for a probe of the money collected from the applicants by the NIS before they could write the test.
The TUC said: “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria is extremely grieved by the death of young Nigerians during stampedes at the recruitment exercise conducted by the Nigeria Immigration Service in Abuja, Lagos, Rivers, Minna, Gombe, and Benin venues of the examination, which took place last Saturday 14th March, 2014. While the Congress demands an immediate investigation into the matter, We are also of the opinion that government should probe the reported sums of money collected from these young Nigerians with a promise to give them employment.
“Sometimes we wonder why everything about us (Nigeria) is always ‘special’! Just few months ago some people lost their lives in Kwara State when they went to collect Sallah gifts in the house of late Olusola Saraki. As if not enough; last week in the FESTAC area of Lagos some people who were in a canoe going back home after the days job got drowned because of poor infrastructure. Needless talk about those that are daily killed by the Boko Haram sect in the North-East. How long are we going to continue to watch the lives of the youths of this country waste? What a needless pain we bear because of leadership indifference. Our fears now is that if this incident is not investigated whatever we have seen now might be replicated in the police, customs and other government agencies when they started recruitment.
“This incident of course goes to show the level of unemployment in the country. That millions of youths applied for less than 4,000 vacancies in NIS shows that the insecurity in the land is caused by joblessness.
“The Congress is shocked and deeply saddened by the news for the fact that the young citizens were at the exercise not only to secure jobs but to be allowed the opportunity to contribute towards the development of their fatherland. It is unfortunate and disheartening that the victims paid the supreme price while trying to be more useful to the country.
“While commiserating with the families of the deceased, the Congress prays for the speedy recovery of the wounded and charges the Ministry of Interior and all relevant agencies of government to immediately swing into action to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the stampede. We also charge all government agencies and parastatals as well as all its elected and appointed officials at all levels to redouble their efforts in curbing unemployment in the country.”
The statement was signed by Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, the President of the TUC, and Comrade Musa Lawal, its Secretary General.
Previous ArticleI won’t be part of consensus arrangement – Fayose
Next Article Onaolapo, Sunshine win NTTF pilot league