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(32 minutes later)
Mayeni Jones Mansur Abubakar
BBC West Africa Correspondent BBC News
Nigerian labour unions will embark on a two-day strike on Tuesday against the spiralling cost of living.
Inflation in Africa's largest economy is at almost 30% whilst the local currency, the naira, is rapidly depreciating. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has confirmed Friday’s stampede at its rice selling point in Yaba, Lagos, which led to fatalities and injuries.
Electricity shortages are compounding the hardship. The agency was selling subsidised rice to ordinary Nigerians amid skyrocketing food prices across the country.
The African Development Bank has warned that conditions are ripe for social unrest. Last week the NCS had said it would distribute seized food items in its stores to tackle the current challenges of
The government says it will reduce public spending and has promised measures to help households and small businesses. food security. The exercise began on Friday.
It's not clear how many workers will take part in the strikes as many accuse the unions of corruption. Rice that had been seized as a result of an import ban was being sold at 10,000 naira ($6, £5) for a 25kg bag and a large crowd turned up. Such a bag normally costs about 40,000 naira.
Read more on Nigeria's cost-of-living crisis: But things got out of hand after the organisers told the crowd to return the following day as they had ran out of stock.
NLC protests: Why Nigeria's economy is in such a mess “Unforeseen challenges arose when we ran out of stock and announced the continuation of the exercise the following day, leading to a regrettable outcome,” NCS said in a statement
Nigeria cost of living: People turn to 'throw-away' rice for food It said the desperate crowd charged through the barricades in search of rice bags in the emptied containers.
"In the stampede that ensued, some fatalities and injuries were regrettably recorded.”
Meanwhile, families have been mourning those lost at the stampede.
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