Yuletide: Police arrest Catholic priest over Abuja stampede

The Abuja police command has arrested the senior Catholic priest and several officials of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, following a stampede that claimed 10 lives during a charity food distribution event.

The incident occurred within the church premises and has sparked widespread outrage and criticism from various quarters.

Law enforcement authorities have confirmed that those detained may remain in custody throughout the festive period as investigations continue.

The arrests were made in response to demands by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic activist group, which has consistently advocated for fairness and accountability in such tragedies.

MURIC had earlier condemned the Abuja incident alongside a separate stampede in Okija, Anambra State, where 22 lives were lost during a billionaire’s charity event.

In a statement, MURIC called on the authorities to ensure that all organizers of such events, regardless of their location or affiliations, face similar consequences. They referenced a previous incident in Ibadan, Oyo State, where organizers of a stampede were charged and remanded in custody.

The Inspector General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered a thorough investigation into the Abuja and Anambra incidents to determine the circumstances leading to the tragedies.

Reacting to the arrests, Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, expressed disapproval of what he termed the “verbal demonization of the Catholic Church” by government agents.

In his Christmas message, titled “Christmas: A Season of Hope and Renewal,” Kaigama criticized the arrest and detention of church officials, calling it “uninspiring, unfriendly, and a misplaced zeal.”

He urged government authorities to support the church in addressing the trauma of the tragedy rather than exacerbating it through threats of prosecution.