CITIZENS COMPASS —The All Progressives Congress (APC), has announced the death of its female member, Comfort Adebanjo, who died alongside six others while attempting to buy some bags of rice being sold by the Nigeria Customs Service at its Zone A Headquarters, Harvey Road, Yaba, Lagos State.
The ruling party made the confirmation on Saturday in an obituary message released to mourn the late party member and the other Nigerians.
The bags of rice were sold at N10, 000 per 25 kg to cushion the effect of the economic hardship in the country.
The sales commenced on Friday, February 23, 2024, with the Pilot sales the previous day.
However, this was stopped abruptly due to the stampede that sent some prospective buyers to their early grave.
On Thursday, the Comptroller-General of the Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, during an interactive session with journalists said plans had been put in place to prevent stampede at the venue.
However, the APC member and six other people have reportedly lost their lives while attempting to buy the rice.
Among those who lost their lives was a mother of one whose body was deposited at the morgue.
Series of videos from the venue captured the intensity of harfshio on Nigerians.
It captured a crowd of intending buyers at the entrance of Customs office with some including uniform men climbing the walls to gain entrance into the premises of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Not minding impending danger, some of the intending buyers were scene climbing the roof top of neighbouring buildings to gain entrance into the premises of the Customs service as at Friday.
The Coordinator of FKL Ward E1, Lagos State of the APC, Oluwafemi Fadahunsi, and Secretary, Comrade Adebari Adewale, confirmed that Adebanjo was one of the seven persons who died during the stampede.
The obituary released by APC reads, “It is with heavy hearts and regret we announce the painful death of one of our members in FKL WARD E1, Mrs Adebanjo Comfort Funmilayo of house number 104, Ibidun street by AKINHANMIstreet, Ojuelegba.
“She was among the 7 victims who died in the course of buying custom rice at Yaba.
“May God grant all the members of her family and all the residents of WARD E1 the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.”
