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The Nigeria Customs Service has halted the sale of seized food items to Nigerians following a stampede that claimed lives at the Nigeria Customs Service Old Zonal Headquarters in Yaba, Lagos State, on Friday.
A spokesperson for Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, made this known in a statement issued on Monday, that the decision to suspend the sale was made in light of the tragic events that occurred during the disposal exercise.
Maiwada explained, “The disposal of the food items got off to a smooth start at about 0800hrs. We enjoyed the cooperation of the large crowd that obliged us, giving preferences to the older people, people living with disabilities, pregnant women, and other vulnerable Nigerians who showed up for the exercise. This was the case up until about 1700hrs, as attested to by the over 5000 beneficiaries and members of the press."
He continued, “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 bags inside emptied containers. In the stampede that ensued, some fatalities and injuries were regrettably recorded."
The statement announced the suspension of the exercise until further notice, pending an investigation into the events of Friday. The Nigeria Customs Service aims to establish what transpired and to formulate a more robust and comprehensive plan to avoid similar incidents in the future.
The incident had sparked diverse reactions with many in doubts of an economic shift in the country.
