Customs Seizes 25,000 Bags of Rice At Ikeja

The Nigeria Customs  Service (NCS)  has intensified its war against smugglers with the seizure of  over 25,000 bags of rice, it was learnt.

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, it was gathered, has over 11,000 bags of the seized rice in its store; while its Tin-Can Island counterpart, Apapa,  impounded about 14,000 bags of illegally imported rice from China.

The market value of the item, it was gathered, is between N450 million and N500 million based on the market price of between N18,000 and N20,000 per 50kg bag.

A senior official of the Customs, who asked not to be named, told The Nation that over 11,000 bags of rice at the FOU, Ikeja, were seized at various locations within its zone.

The seizure, it was gathered, is in line with the resolve of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali to checkmate smugglers at the ports and border stations.

Investigation around the Lagos ports and borders last week revealed that the Customs has moved against illegal importation of rice, illicit drugs, vegetable oil, textile, used clothes, confectionery, juices, used bags and other prohibited items.

It was gathered that the rate of smuggling of rice and some other goods from Benin Republic into the country through the borders, has reduced based on the directive from the CGC to all the Commands to increase foot patrol along bush paths, as well as raise the level of intelligence gathering by its officers.

When The Nation visited the borders last weekend, Customs officers from the Customs Headquarters were stationed on Sango-Ota/Owode-Idiroko road and Okoko/Agbara-Badagry Expressway with their vehicles roving the towns  around the border.

When The Nation left for the Idiroko border  last Saturday, apart from the skeletal checkpoints mounted by the police on the road, Customs officers were seen at Abule-Egba, Sango toll gate, Ojore, Atan and Owode.

At the Idiroko border, most vehicles were stopped by Customs officers who searched and seized contrabands, including small quantities of rice and cartons of frozen chicken from traders.

Investigation, however, revealed that the smugglers are using motorcycles to ferry about 10 bags of smuggled rice from the bush around Seme to Badagry, Mowo, Agbara, Igbo Elerin, Okoko to Alaba-Rago, Oyingbo and Ido markets.

Customs Public Relations Officer at the FOU, Ikeja, Mr Jerry Attah, said the CGC and the Area Controller Umar Mohammed Dahiru, had set in motion a system that makes the fight against smuggling more serious.

He said the surveillance became possible because of the vehicles given to them.

“The unit is working very hard to change its modus operandi to suit the exigencies of the moment and to ensure that it remains on top of the smugglers antics in all ramifications, particularly in terms of enhanced intelligence gathering network,” he said.

Attah reiterated the unit’s commitment to ensuring smuggling and other anti-economic activities are stopped.