The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has halted the sale of confiscated food items following a tragic stampede at the NCS Old Zonal Headquarters in the Yaba area of Lagos State last Friday.
Abdullahi Maiwada, a spokesperson for Customs, made the announcement in a statement on Monday.
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On February 20, 2024, Customs had announced plans to sell seized food items at a discounted rate to alleviate the hardships and high cost of living in the country.
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The disposal of the food items began smoothly at about 0800hrs and initially saw cooperation from a large crowd. However, challenges arose when stock ran out, prompting the announcement of a continuation the next day. This led to an unfortunate outcome as the crowd became desperate, resulting in a stampede with some fatalities and injuries.
In light of these events, Customs regretfully declared the suspension of the exercise until a thorough investigation is conducted into the incidents on Friday, February 23, 2024.
The aim is to formulate a more robust and comprehensive plan that aligns with the original noble intention.
