Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana has expressed deep concern over the Nigeria Customs Service’s failure to identify and console the families of those who lost their lives in a stampede during the distribution of food items in Lagos.
The Nigeria Customs Service on February 23, 2023, distributed 25kg bags of rice to Lagos residents at its Zonal Headquarters, in Yaba axis, Lagos State. However, the exercise was suspended due to a stampede, which claimed the lives of seven persons.
Falana attributed the tragedy to the authorities’ negligence, emphasizing that the Customs Service should take full responsibility for the incident.
He also called for the immediate lifting of the distribution suspension, proposing a safer approach through local government councils to prevent future stampedes.
His statement partly reads, “The authorities of the Nigeria Customs Service should take urgent steps to identify the bereaved families of the seven deceased citizens to pay them adequate monetary compensation.
“However, if our advice is ignored by the authorities, we shall not hesitate to approach the Federal High Court to enforce the fundamental right of each of the deceased persons to life as guaranteed by section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.
“Furthermore, the Nigeria Customs Service should lift the suspension of the distribution of the remaining bags of rice without any further delay. To avoid another stampede, the distribution should be carried out through the appropriate local government councils and local government development areas in Lagos State and other states of the federation.”
