The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the temporary suspension of the sale of seized rice and other food items following a stampede incident that led to the death of six persons at its Zonal Headquarters in Yaba, Lagos on Friday.
In a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, on Monday, the service said it suspended the exercise to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident as well as put measures in place to avoid similar situation in the future.
Maiwada explained that the distribution began smoothly with crowd control measures put in place until it ran out of stock and announced the continuation of the exercise the following day.
He said this led to a stampede as the crowd sought rice bags inside emptied containers. He noted that the exercise was conducted following meticulous planning to address all potential risks that may emerge during the exercise.
The Customs spokesperson said as part of the control measures, NCS had the Nigeria Police and military personnel to ensure crowd control as well as fully equipped a medical team on ground in anticipation of potential risks during an exercise of that magnitude.
“The disposal of the food items got off to a smooth start. We enjoyed the cooperation of the large crowd that obliged us, giving preferences to the elderly, people living with disabilities, pregnant women, and other vulnerable Nigerians who showed up for the exercise.
“This was the case up until about 5:00pm, as attested to by the over 5,000 beneficiaries and members of the press. However, unforeseen challenges arose when we ran out of stock and announced the continuation of the exercise the following day, leading to a regrettable outcome. The crowd became desperate and charged through our barricades in search of rice inside emptied containers. In the stampede that ensued, some fatalities and injuries were recorded.”
He expressed the NCS’ saddened by the incident and extends heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the incident just as it assured of providing support.
“We are working with Hospital Authorities to establish contact and engage directly with the victims’ families on their next steps. Following this incident, an internal investigation was initiated to understand the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event.
“Considering the recent unfortunate event, we regrettably announce the suspension of this exercise until we establish what transpired on Friday, 23 February 2024.
“This should help us to properly articulate more robust and comprehensive action that will not defeat the noble intention. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of all Nigerians as we work towards addressing the challenges facing our nation’s food security,” he said.
