Nigerian Customs Service Denies Responsibility for Stampede at Rice Sale Event

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has denied responsibility for the deaths of seven individuals during a stampede at a rice sale event in Yaba, Lagos.

The incident occurred on Friday as people gathered to purchase 25kg bags of confiscated rice at a discounted price of N10,000 per bag.

In a statement released on Sunday, the NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, claimed that the deaths were a result of impatience and disorder among the crowd.

He stated that the Customs had made efforts to maintain order and even offered the rice for free when the crowd became unmanageable.

The spokesperson also mentioned that the NCS had chosen the Yaba location for the sale because they had previously demolished the site.

He emphasized that the Customs had not caused any deaths and had taken those injured to the hospital for treatment.

The incident has sparked outrage among residents and politicians, with some calling for an investigation into the circumstances that led to the deaths.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has confirmed the death of one of its members, Mrs. Adebanjo Comfort Funmilayo, in the stampede.

In response to the economic hardship faced by many Nigerians, the Lagos State Government recently announced measures to cushion the impact, including reducing the work week to three days for civil servants and setting up feeding centers to provide food for the needy.

As the NCS faces criticism for its handling of the rice sale event, the incident serves as a reminder of the need for better crowd control measures and more effective communication during public events.

The government must also address the underlying issues of poverty and economic hardship to prevent similar incidents in the future.