Renowned human rights lawyer and activist, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, has demanded that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) provide compensation to the families of the seven individuals who tragically lost their lives in a stampede during the sale of low-cost rice at the Customs office in Lagos.

The incident occurred on February 23 at the Customs Zonal Headquarters in Yaba, Lagos State, during the sale of 25kg bags of rice priced at N10,000, as directed by President Bola Tinubu. Following the stampede, the NCS immediately suspended the sales exercise.

In a statement, Falana expressed his disappointment that the Customs authorities have not yet taken the initiative to identify and offer condolences to the victims’ families. He emphasized that the NCS should take full responsibility for the incident.

Considering that a bag of rice was being sold for N77,000 at the time, Falana pointed out that the Customs Zonal Headquarters in Yaba should have anticipated the overwhelming crowd that would gather for the opportunity to purchase a 25kg bag at a significantly lower price.

Falana called on the NCS to promptly identify and compensate the bereaved families, providing them with adequate monetary support. He warned that if the authorities neglect this responsibility, he will not hesitate to approach the Federal High Court to enforce the fundamental right to life as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Furthermore, Falana urged the NCS to lift the suspension on the sale of the remaining bags of rice without any further delay. To prevent future stampedes, he suggested that distribution should be carried out through the appropriate local government councils and local government development areas in Lagos and other states across the country.