Customs Probes Crowd Stampede During Free Rice Sale

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched an investigation into reports of an unspecified number of people trampled to death in Lagos while trying to buy the seized rice it is selling to the public.

Recall that the NCS, in an effort to cushion the economic hardship facing Nigerians at the weekend started selling seized rice to vulnerable members of the public at the price of N10,000 per 25kg bag.

However, as a result of poor crowd management and control, no fewer than seven people reportedly died in a stampede during the sales of the rice at Customs Zonal Office at Harvey Road, Yaba, Lagos at the weekend.

An official of the NCS, who wouldn’t want to be quoted, acknowledged the chaotic scene at the venue of the rice sales and attributed it to “impatience with laid-down procedures”.

He assured that the incident would be investigated with a view to avoiding future recurrence