Buhari mourns victims of stampede at APC rally in Jalingo

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the loss of lives during a stampede at the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign rally in Jalingo, Taraba, on Thursday.

“I always feel very sad and distressed when ordinary Nigerians who love me and our party because of what we stand for and have done, make personal sacrifices by taking the pains to show their support, end their lives tragically,” the president said in a statement in Abuja.

Malam Garba Shehu, the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a statement, said the president made his feelings known when he reacted to reports of the tragic death of some APC supporters due to the overwhelming crowd at the Jolly Nyame Stadium.

President Buhari, who expressed appreciation over massive support he had been receiving all over the country, however, called for restraint on the part of his supporters to avoid such tragic incidences, and improved crowd management at rally grounds.

“I want them to stay alive and witness the dividends of purposeful governance that the APC administration will unfold when they renew our mandate,’’ he said.

While commiserating with the families of the victims and the APC family, the president prayed Almighty God to grant peace to the souls of the departed, and speedy recovery to the injured.(NAN)