The Ilorin Sallah Stampede was a Stampede that occurred at Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, North-central Nigeria on Sallah day of October 16, 2013.[1] The stampede resulted in the death of 20 persons leaving several others severely injured.[2] The incident was reported to have occurred on Wednesday, 16 October 2015 at Senator Bukola Saraki's house. Bukola Saraki is two-term governor of Kwara State and the incumbent President of the Senate of Nigeria. On October 16, 2015, only for persons were reported dead but the tolls increased to 20 persons on October 18, 2015.[3]
The basis of this incident could be traced back to the days of Bukola Saraki's father. Senator Bukola Saraki's father, the late Alhaji Abubakar Olusola Saraki was a well-known philanthropist among the people of Ilorin before his death.[4] During his days, he often gives food items and cloth for the needy and on every Eid al-Fitr celebrations, he gives out food items such as rice, chicken and sometimes money to the widow, aged and the poor before his death on November 14, 2012.[5] On every Sallah's day, thousands of people in the state often cued in his residence at the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Ilorin, Kwara State to received the annual gift of food items and clothing materials, which they will definitely received before they leave his residence vicinity.[6] This philanthropic act contributed significantly to his political ambition with profound effects on Bukola's political breakthrough in the Politics of Nigeria.[7] Following the death of Alhaji Olusola Saraki, his son Bukola Saraki decided to follow the footsteps of his father, in other words to continue this philanthropic act and like his late father, on every Sallah's day, thousands of people will often cue in his Ilorin's residence for the annual gift item.[8] This is the basis of the October 16, 2013 stampede that occurred in his residence.[9]
The incident generated several controversies across the state because it was not the first time such stampede will occurs in the Philanthropist residences.[10] The incident was linked to a speculation of annual ritual performed by Senator Bukola Saraki because similar stampeded occurred in his residence on November 17, 2010 during the campaign for his election as member of the 7th National Assembly and at least eleven of his campaigners were reported dead.[11] On May 27, 2011 during his inauguration ceremony, 25 persons were reported dead following the distributions of cloth and money to the people in recognition of their support in the course of his election.[12] This chronology of incessant stampede in his residence led to the conclusion by some Nigerian that the circumstances surrounding the event is associated with Ritualism.[13]