SMUGGLING : Eastern Customs Handicap As Navy Intercept More Bags Of Rice

By Roland Ekama

 

There has been an upsurge of rice smuggling from the southern parts of the country, as the Nigeria Navy in the last three months have made seizures of about 4,500 bags of rice; even as it has also exposed the Nigeria Customs Service in it’s quest to perform its statutory mandates .

 

Finding revealed that the dearth of patrol boats for officers and men of the eastern command of the service have rendered them handicap and incompetent in the fight against smuggling activities.

 

The Navy in recent times, has also outsmart the customs due to existing apparatus at it disposal.

 

Most of the seizures and arrest made by the Navy were recorded between Calabar in Cross Rivers and Ibaka, Akwa Ibom States respectively.

 

 

Statistical, there have been several seizures of smuggled parboiled rice along with suspects made by the Navy and yet the eastern command of the service has failed to inform the public about any success on its enforcement mandate.

 

But for the Western Marine Command, the story is quite different , as the operatives are able to manage the existing apparatus to record handful number of seizures.

 

The command in the last three weeks has recorded seizures on poultry products without intervention from the Navy.

 

However, Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, Akwa Ibom, again arrested six suspects and seized 416 bags of contraband rice in two different operations on Monday.

 

Handing over the suspects and items to the Nigeria Customs Service on Monday, Commanding Officer, FOB Ibaka, Navy Cpt. Toritseju Vincent, said that smuggling of rice was inimical to local rice production.

 

According to him, the Navy will continue to do its best to nip rice smuggling in the bud to promote government’s drive towards the production of local production of rice.

 

He said a wooden boat carrying the first set of 223 bags of 50kg rice was intercepted on Sunday by officials of the Navy but no arrest was made as the driver of the boat escaped.

 

The second boat carrying 193 bags of 50kg rice was intercepted and six suspects arrested; other items seized included two pumping machines and two outboard engines.

 

 

 

“On behalf of the Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, I hereby hand over 223 bags of Habiba rice seized in the early hours of 28th April 2019.

 

“ It was unaccompanied because the suspects abandoned the boat and the products, the pumping machine and an outboard engine.

 

“In the same morning of Sunday, we also intercepted another boat with six suspects.

 

“I am officially handing over the suspects, the boat, pumping machine and outboard engine to you, the Nigeria Customs, along with 193 bags of Marori Benze rice, which we believe was brought in from Cameroon.

 

 

He said the navy would continue to do its best to promote the Federal Government’s drive to promote our own local production of these goods.

 

“These anti-smuggling activities are inimical to the growth of our own rice industry.

 

“So we will continue to do our duty to make sure we nip it in bud, and bring it to a complete halt,’’ he said.

 

The Zonal Commander, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Assistant Comptroller, Kolade Iloyode, received the suspects and bags of rice from the Navy and promised that the suspects would be handed over for prosecution to serve as deterrent to others.

 

Iloyode, who was represented by Kabir Ogah, Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Comptroller General of Customs Strike Force (CGC), Zone C, Akwa Ibom, commended the Navy for the support in combating smuggling.

 

He said the activity of smugglers was detrimental to government’s policy of rice sufficiency.

 

He said: “On behalf of the Zonal Commander, CGC Strike Force and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in general, I want to assure you that these products will be evacuated immediately and converted to seizures.

 

“The suspects will be handed over to our legal department for prosecution, to serve as deterrent to others.

 

“This activity of smugglers undermine the intention of the government towards the policy of rice sufficiency in the country.

 

“And the only way the government can achieve this and improve the economic status of the country is through arrests and combating these smuggling activities.

 

“Of course, you have proven that you are not deterred, you are not tired, and you have also indicated your interest to ensure that the Nigerian government succeeds in this fight.