Lagos Resident Stampeded To Death At Nigerian Customs Office While Trying To Buy ‘Cheap Rice’

An unidentified resident of Lagos State reportedly lost his life after being trampled at the Nigerian Customs office in Lagos while attempting to purchase rice.

An X user, Dr. Adunola, @yemoka who said the man died in her hospital, said that the deceased was trampled on after falling at the Customs office trying to get rice.

According to her, the deceased was on the queue with his wife when he fell down and couldn’t get up on time which resulted in people stamping on him.

She wrote, “A man just died in my hospital, he was stamped on after falling at the Customs office trying to get rice. He was on the queue with his wife when he fell down and couldn’t get up on time which resulted in people stamping on him. So sad. Survived by very young children.”

A man just died in my hospital, he was stamped on after falling at the custom office trying to get rice. He was on the queue with his wife when he fell down and couldn’t get up on time which resulted to people stamping on him. So sad. Survived by very young children. Naija 😢😢

— Dr Adunola (@yemoka) February 23, 2024

Another X user shared another resident of the state who said that he was at the Customs office in the Yaba area of the State to buy rice and there were at least 10,000 people struggling to buy rice but uniformed officers from all forces were given special attention.

“I went to that Customs place in Yaba today to buy Rice. Let’s just say this country has zero chance of being better. They beat the shit out of us in the queue.

“Uniform officers from all forces were given priority. There are at least 10,000 people. When I had enough, I went back to my house. 5 hours wasted.

“The pressure of the people pulled down a section of their fence. Come and see the beating. They even beat one woman in a wheelchair. If you record and they catch you, they will seize your phone,” the resident said.

SaharaReporters on Tuesday reported that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) disclosed that its operatives will distribute all confiscated food products nationwide.

The Nigerian Customs Service spokesperson, CSC Abdullahi Maiwada, who made this known in a press statement said that the decision was taken to alleviate the current hardships faced by Nigerians and to solve serious problems of food security and the skyrocketing prices of basic food items in the country.

The NCS underlined that the distribution would take place once food items underwent certification to ensure its suitability for human consumption.

7 confirmed dead.

These 7 were amongst the many who went to get a bag of rice at the customs office. They lost their lives due to hunger.

RIP to the deceased and condolences to the family.

It’s truly a tragic scenario that shouldn’t have happened pic.twitter.com/U0g5igr6kB

— Weyimi B. Lube 𓃵 (@_weyimi) February 23, 2024