The North Central rally of Transformation
Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) to garner
support for President Goodluck Jonathan second
term ambition nearly ended abruptly on Saturday
in Minna when thestand accommodating
dignitaries collapsed leaving many people injured.
The programme was mid-way when at about
11:05am the stand carved in and dignitaries,
protocol officers scampered for safety.
The Niger State governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida
Aliyu, deputy governors of Kogi and Sokoton
Yomi Awoniyi and Muktar Shagari, the Secretary
to the Federal government, Senator Pius Anyim
Pius, Senator, Ministers of Information, Water
Resources, Internal Affairs, National Planning
and Minister of State FCT were among the
dignitaries on the stand.
But the wife of Niger State governor, Hajiya
Jumai Babangida Aliyu, her protocol officer, the
Senator-Elect for Niger East Senatorial zone,
Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, Director General of
Protocol, Captain M. Baro, Director General
Public Affairs, Alhaji Tanko dada, some protocol
and detail officers attached to some dignitaries
were not lucky. They sustained various degrees
of injuries.
The affected persons were rushed in National
Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
ambulances to a Bay Clinic ( a private hospital)
and General Hospital in Minna.
Some of those who were injured had broken
heads, hands and legs.
No sooner peace returned to the arena that
dignitaries that those who were not hurt were
relocated to the podium set for speech making,
while delegates abandoned other stands for fear
of collapsing.
The development forced many delegates to head
for their vehicles and returned while the
organisers continued to address a very scanty
audience compared with the crowd before the
collapse.
Efforts to get the number of victims failed as
calls to NEMA officials could not be reached,
while government officials were not forth
coming.
The Niger state Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida
Aliyu in his address said that the incident should
be regarded as a sacrifice and a sign of success
and victory for President Jonathan.
He blamed the collapse of the VIP stand on the
huge crowd on it as well as the crowd at the
event, stressing that the place was overcrowded.
“The place was overcrowded by dignitaries,
their security and protocol officers, that is why
the place craved in,” he said.
He however thanked God for minimising the
havoc to injuries sustained by few personalities. Source: www.thenationonlineng.net/new/podium-collapse-at-rally-for-jonathan-dignitaris-wounded/