Due to a horrific stampede that claimed lives over the weekend in Lagos, the Nigeria Customs Service has declared a temporary suspension of its nationwide food distribution scheme.
The intervention’s goal, according to Abdullahi Maiwada, the Service’s National Public Relations Officer, was to improve Nigerians’ access to essential food supplies and lessen their suffering by distributing confiscated food that had been deemed fit for consumption by appropriate governmental bodies and courts.
“Exercise was carried out after careful planning to manage all possible dangers that could surface during the exercise. We employed military men and Nigerian police as part of our process and control methods to guarantee crowd control.”
In preparation for any hazards that might arise during an exercise of that scale, we also outfitted a medical team on the ground to the fullest. Their attendance was a component of our proactive strategy to guarantee the security and welfare of every attendee.
“At around eight in the morning, the food item disposal process got underway without a hitch. The exercise was conducted with the cooperation of a sizable number of Nigerians who were deemed vulnerable, such as pregnant women, the elderly, and those with impairments. The over 5000 recipients and members of the press witness to the fact that this was the situation until around 1700 hours.”
“Unexpected difficulties, however, developed when we ran out of stock and said that the exercise would continue the next day, which resulted in an unfortunate conclusion. In a fit of desperation, the mob broke through our barricades, charging for rice sacks hidden inside empty containers. Unfortunately, some fatalities and injuries were reported during the stampede,” Maiwada stated.
He continued, saying, “An internal investigation was launched to ascertain the circumstances surrounding this regrettable incident following this incident. Given the recent terrible situation, we regrettably announce the suspension of this exercise until we can determine what occurred on Friday, February 23, 2024.”
