By Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi
The Abdulmumini Foundation in Bauchi has expressed deeply regret over the tragic event that occured in the premises of AYM SHAFA HOLDING in the state which resulted in loss of precious lives due to a stampede during Zakat collection
The management of the AYM Shafa said, “Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones affected by this devastating incident. We extend our sincerest condolences and sympathy during this difficult time”
“As a charity foundation committed to the safety and well-being of the public, we acknowledge our responsibility in ensuring the proper management and supervision of events to prevent such occurrences”, management said in a public announcement Tuesday.
According to Shafa, the safety and security of all individuals attending its events are paramount, as it deeply apologize for any shortcomings in its oversight that may have contributed to the last Sunday tragedy.
It could be recalled that right persons loss their lives last Sunday during the monetery arms-giving by the management of AYM Shafa Holding under the auspices of it’s outfit, the Abdulmumini Foundation being chaired by Prof. Ahmed Mohammed.
The Shafa management explained that it is conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the zakkat collection stampede to understand what went wrong and to implement immediate corrective measures.
Additionally, we are collaborating closely with local authorities and emergency responders to provide support to those affected and to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
“Words cannot express the sorrow and remorse we feel over the loss of lives in this unfortunate incident. We are committed to learning from this tragedy and taking all necessary actions to prevent reoccurrence”.
Shafa management conclusively reassured, “Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of the victims, and we stand ready to offer any assistance and support they may need during this challenging time”.
Meanwhile the Emir of Bauchi, Dr. Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu has commiserated with families of victims of AYM Shafa arms-giving exercise Sunday in Bauchi in which right (8) persons reportedly loss their lives in the scramble for the monetery zakkat.
He spoke when the zakkat distribution committee paid a fatherly condolence visit to the palace, the emir said that himelf visited the scene of the incident to catch a glimpse of the situation.
The emir explained that death is an evitable end which every living creature must taste it, as ordained by God at the terminal day and time, and prayed for the repose of souls of the deceased in Jannatul Firdaus.
He commended the founder of the Abdulmumini Foundation, Abdulmumini Yakubu Mohammed Shafa for exercising the obligatory duty, and implored upon him not allow the ugly incident deter or change his mind against the religious obligation.
The Chairman of the Zakkat Distribution Committee, Professor Ahmed Mohammed in an interview with newsmen, said that he was lucky not to have join the assemblage of the departed souls when the zakkat giving out exercise turned into an uncontrollable crowd.
Prof Mohammed said, “I myself, I was so lucky not to have join them because I was pressed-up on the building’s gate iron bar, with my shirt scattered all over the iron bar”.
Mohammed recalled, “What actually happened was the people that came whom we did not invite them. It is a yearly event that we normally give out some money to the less-privileged people”.
He said, “They envisaged that we are doing it Sunday, yesterday, so they came in their number. We have security corporate people, the police that take care of security, but because of the high number that came, they were not able to control the crowd”.
Mohammed who is professor of animal science with the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, stated, “The individual vulnerable people, each in an effort to get the zakkat rush while others are already sitting on the door to the inside premises”.
“So those hastly struggling to get the money stampede over those sitting on the door, and unfortunately we have some of them that were unconscious who were later confirmed dead in the hospital. I myself, I was so lucky not to join them because I was pressed on the gate iron bar”.
He explained that initially they woke up with casualties of seven deaths, but as of mondater afternoon, they were informed of an addition of one death that they equally went to the deceased family house to console them.
Prof. Mohammed assured that the police have confirmed the one we were told later was among the casualties in the incident that rise the number of deaths to eight in the monetery zakkat scramble.
The foundation chairman however debunked that even during last year’s zakkat distribution there were some injuries to some people, saying “I was around last year during the same exercise and there wasn’t a single injury, so whoever say so is a blatant liar”.
He told the press that they went round to console families of the stampede victims, saying “We were also pain as they are. The wisdom of chairman of the Abdulmumini Foundation is all embrassing, you see that it is fourty million naira that we are supposed to have distributed yesterday”.
“It was not a small amount of money, even government sometimes they would not be able to do that, but he gave us the sum of fourty million naira for us to distribute to the people”.
“Unfortunately, when we started, I think we have gone two and a half hours into the programme when we have serious push that we would not be able to contain, and we have to suspend the exercise, which help in controlling further casualties”.
The delegation which was led by a renowned Bauchi Islamic scholar, Dr. Ibrahim Adamu Disina Led the Shafa Company officials to the family houses of the zakkat stampede victims where they condoled them over the unfortunate deaths.
Condoling families of the victims, Dr. Ibrahim Disina said that the delegation from comprised of cream of businessmen, retired public officers, technocrats, politicians, and some relatives of AYM Shafa, explaining that they found it most deserving not to wait until Shafa who at time of the incident was outside Bauchi to come back before paying the condolence visit
The delegation prayed for the repose of the deceased, whom it noted, their deaths were destined by God to be the last Sunday, and prayed that the souls of the deceased be in Jannatul Firdaus.
A father to an 11-year old deceased, Usman Abdulmimini commended the delegation for showing remoteness to the incident, and advised Abdulmumini Yakubu Mohammed (AYM) to change the pattern of giving out zakkat, preparably through the bank by collecting account details of the would be beneficiaries.
Suleimanu Adamu Duguri was one of those parents who loss a daughter in the incident, Maryam Suleiman recalled that his family has fixed two weeks after the forthcoming Eid-el fitr to give out Maryam for marriage when unfortunately she victim of the stampede.
Family members of the deceased which the delegation went round to console believed that God has destined that their beloved would surely depart the temporal world that Sunday, hence no any Jupiter can prevent the occurance, and commended AYM Shafa for heeding to the obligatory religious duty of giving the.zakkat.
The delegation comforted each family member of the deceased with a token of N250, 000, two bags of rice, and one each of maize and millet, apparently to entertain condolence visitors to the families during the mourning period.
The Police Authorities in Bauchi have in the wake of the incident Sunday confirmed casualties of the AYM Shafa zakkat distribution stampede, thus putting the number of deaths to seven (7) in the unfortunate incident.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil of the Bauchi State Command who issued the confirmation to the press, thereby gaving the names of the seven victims that perished in the zakkat scramble
They are Aisha Usman ‘aged 13yrs of Gwang-gwang-gwang quarters; Sahura Abubakar ’55years of Unguwan Bauchi; Aisha Ibrahim Abubakar ‘f’ aged 43yrs of kobi Street Bauchi; and Khadija isah aged 8yrs of Karofi quarters in Bauchi metropolis.
Others, the PPRO enumerated, included
Maryam Suleiman ‘aged 20years of Khandahar Quarters, Bauchi; Maryam Shuibu aged 16 years of Gwang-gwan-gwan Quarters, Bauchi; and Hassana Saidu aged 53 years of Dutsen Tanshi Quarters, Bauchi.
“These are the number of victims confirmed dead by medical doctors at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi”, he said in a press statement.
It is not however known at press time, as to whether or not the Abdulmumini foundation would continue to exhaust the N40 million pegged for this year’s zakkat exercise in conformity with the religious obligation
About The Author
