A massive crowd stormed the Nigeria Customs office in Lagos to receive 25 kilogram rice for free.
The rice, initially being sold at N10,000, was later said to be free. This led to a surge of crowd resulting in the death of at least three people, according to eyewitnesses.
One eye witness who was interviewed by a television news network, said he saw three dead people, plus many others injured.
An X user, Dr. Adunola, @yemoka said a man died in her hospital. According to her, the deceased was trampled on after falling at the Customs office trying to get rice.
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 said.
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.”
The rising cost of living has seen some Nigerians in Niger and Katsina attacking trucks carrying food and looting them.
The decision by Customs to release food items it confiscated from smugglers appears to be a desperate move by the government.
An X user claimed to be at the Customs office in the Yaba area of the State were at least 10,000 people were struggling to get 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.
Ahmed Isa who went to buy rice from the Nigerian Customs Service yesterday told a news reporter how people who wanted to buy rice like him. pic.twitter.com/wAQ6T6426v
— ÓMÒÉLÉRÍNJÁRÉ (@omoelerinjare) February 24, 2024
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