Seven persons, including a pregnant woman, have been killed in a stampede during the buying of seized rice put on sale by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Lagos State.

Dozens of people turned up for the open sales of the rice on Friday at the customs’ zonal office on Harvey Road, Yaba, Lagos, with a 25kg bag of rice sold for N10,000.

It was gathered that the sales of the rice was going on as scheduled until some armed hoodlums invaded the premises.

It was gathered that the pregnant woman and six others died in the stampede when the armed hoodlums in camouflage gear attempted to force their way into the venue.

A short video has went viral which captured people in their hundreds, with many scaling the perimeter fencing to access the facility.

- Military officers trying to scale the fence to gain access to the premises

Speaking on the development, a witness, Comfort James, revealed that all efforts by the Customs officers to manage the crowd proved unsuccessful.

“You can see videos of the stampede online on X, but I tell you it was worse in reality. I got there by 11am and met an uncontrollable crowd. Customs tried everything they could to control the crowd but couldn’t succeed.

"It wasn’t organised as we thought it would be. Police came but they didn’t come to aid the distribution; they came to collect bags of rice for themselves,” James said.

The 27-year-old woman further said people were trampling on others just to get into the premises.

- A lady on top of a roof in an attempt to gain access to the premises

Customs’ spokesman, Abdullahi Maiwada, said, “I can’t say if there was any death, but some people fainted during the stampede and were rushed to the hospital.

“The activity started peacefully, with the CGC on ground monitoring till 5pm. Our men controlled the crowd until the stampede occurred.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State said one of its members, Mrs Adebanjo Comfort Funmilayo, was among the victims of the stampede.

The APC made the confirmation in an obituary message released to mourn the late party member and the other Nigerians.

The Coordinator of FKL Ward E1, Lagos State of the APC, Oluwafemi Fadahunsi, and Secretary, Comrade Adebari Adewale, confirmed that Adebanjo was one of the seven persons who died during the stampede.

- Another lady attempting to scale the gate 

In the obituary released, the party wrote, “It is with heavy hearts and regret we announce the painful death of one of our members in FKL WARD E1, Mrs Adebanjo Comfort Funmilayo of house number 104, Ibidun Street by AKINHANMI Street, Ojuelegba.

“She was among the 7 victims who died in the course of buying custom rice at Yaba.

“May God grant all the members of her family and all the residents of WARD E1 the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.” Seven persons, including a pregnant woman, have been killed in a stampede during the buying of seized rice put on sale by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Lagos State.

 

 

- Adebanjo: Died in thte stampede