Navy Hands Over 44 Bags Of Seized Rice  To Customs

The Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT has announced the handing over seized forty four bags of rice laden on a wooden boat to officials of the Nigeria Customs Service NCS.

The NNS Beecroft patrol team stated that during a routine patrol at approximately 0530 on 11 October 2023, aided by the state-of-the-art  Maritime Domain Awareness Facility, the Falcon Eye Alignment, apprehended the wooden fishing boat laden with bags of rice in the creeks of Agbara, Lagos state.

In a statement made available to newsmen by Sub Lieutenant Happiness Collins, Base information officer, NNS Beecroft on Thursday, disclosed that the boat’s occupants, upon sighting the  patrol team, abandoned boat and fled adding that the patrol team effectively secured the watercraft, which was taking in water, and off-loaded a total of 44 bags of parboiled rice.

Collins said the Nigerian Navy will continue to encourage local farming in the country and prevent Importation of foreign parboiled rice into the country.

She explained that following established protocols, the 44 bags of rice were transported to NNS BEECROFT Base and were handed over to officials of the Nigeria Customs Service for further necessary action.

“The Nigerian Navy  would sustain efforts at enforcing custom laws and assist uphold government policies which also includes empowering small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to flourish.

” The action of the Nigerian Navy at confiscating contrabands and particularly the prevention of importation of foreign rice into the country will undoubtedly boost efforts of local farmers towards revenue generation necessary to ameliorate poverty and food insecurity for economic prosperity.

“The Nigerian Navy under the watch of the Chief of the Naval staff Vice Admiral EI Ogalla remains resolute at curbing all forms of maritime crimes toward bolstering national security and stability,”the statement added.