Nigerian Customs Suspend Seized Food Sales After Deadly Stampede

News in Brief: - The Nigerian Customs Service has suspended the sale of seized food items nationwide after a deadly stampede during a distribution event in Lagos. -The initial distribution prioritised vulnerable groups but faced challenges with crowd control when supplies ran out, leading to the suspension while they investigate the incident and improve future efforts. The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has announced a temporary suspension on the sale of seized food items nationwide, following a deadly stampede that occurred during a distribution event in Lagos last Friday. The incident took place at the NCS Old Zonal Headquarters in Yaba, where the agency started selling seized food items on February 20th with the aim of alleviating hardship caused by rising food prices. According to a press statement released by NCS spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwa, the initial distribution went smoothly, prioritising vulnerable groups like the elderly, people with disabilities, and pregnant women. However, chaos erupted later in the day when food supplies ran out. "The crowd became desperate and charged through our barricade. In the stampede that ensued, some fatalities and injuries were regrettably recorded," Maiwa said. The agency expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and confirmed they are working with health authorities to offer support. Additionally, they have initiated an internal investigation into the incident. Subsequently, Maiwa declared that considering the recent unfortunate event, the exercise was suspended to give it enough time to establish what transpired. The agency emphasised its commitment to improving future distribution efforts to ensure they align with their original intentions. This suspension highlights the complexities of managing food insecurity in Nigeria and emphasises the need for careful planning and crowd control measures during distribution events.