In a major crackdown on rice smuggling, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, announced the seizure of 3,988 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice along the South-West borders within 24 hours on Monday.
Controller Kola Oladeji, the Customs Area Comptroller in charge of the unit, revealed this during a press briefing where he showcased some of the seized rice to journalists. He emphasized the negative impact of rice smuggling on Nigeria’s economy, stating, “It affects the stability of the naira to the dollar, and undermines local rice production.”
Oladeji explained that smugglers do not pay taxes, and their illegal activities harm the country’s economy. He further noted that they had been tracking the contraband for a while before successfully intercepting it late on Monday. “This is not a detailed press briefing, but we intercepted these items in border areas in the South West region,” Oladeji added.
The Customs officers described the operation as highly successful. The contraband was initially packed in smaller vehicles, but upon spotting the officers, the smugglers abandoned their cars and fled the scene. “Our priority was to intercept the smuggled items, not focus on their means of transport,” Oladeji said. “We had to hire trucks and use our operational vehicles to bring them here.”
In total, nine lorries, six buses, and 11 other vehicles were involved in the operation, carrying the smuggled rice. Although the smugglers fled, leaving behind the vehicles, Oladeji explained that many of the vehicles were custom-built and could only be driven by their owners.
Oladeji also acknowledged the challenges posed by Nigeria’s vast borders, particularly with Benin Republic, which allows some contraband to enter via bush paths. He thanked the Nigerian Army and other agencies for their continued support in securing the seizures, stating, “Without their assistance, we might not have succeeded.”
This successful operation underscores the ongoing efforts of the NCS to combat illegal trade and protect Nigeria’s economy from the detrimental effects of smuggling.
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