The Nation Newspaper

Tag: rice smugglers

  • FRSC: we’re not abetting rice smugglers

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Badagry-Seme Command, says its officers are not abetting smugglers of rice as being speculated in some quarters.

    Unit Commander Mr. Fatai Bakare made the clarification yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry, Lagos State.

    He said FRSC operations begin at 6am and end by 6pm, “except when we are on special patrol, which extends to 10pm.”

    “This special operation is restricted to the metropolis and not outside the metropolis because we are not armed.

    “You don’t expect us to be in a secluded point when we are not armed.

    Read also: Chamber to induct president at dinner

     

     

     

  • We’re coming after you, Navy tells rice smugglers

    Then Commander of the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Victory in Calabar, the Cross River State, Commodore Julius Nwagu, has said the command will go after rice smuggling kingpins to checkmate activities of economic saboteurs.

    Nwagu spoke yesterday in Calabar while handing over eight suspected smugglers, who were allegedly arrested with a large wooden boat laden with 3,434 bags of rice valued at over N61 million, to the Nigeria Customs Service (NIS) at the NNS Victory jetty.

    He said: “We are going to change our modus operandi. We will start digging into the activities of those who actually bring the rice and those who collect it as well as owners of the boats. We are going to start massive investigations into the main actors in this smuggling of rice into the country, especially from Cameroon into Calabar area. We are going beyond these boys who ride the boats. I warn the main culprits behind the smuggling that we are compiling their reports and we will come for them.

    “A local farmer cannot have it better than the Nigerian Navy seizing over 3,400 bags of rice that would come to compete with their rice produced locally. The Federal Government is encouraging the local farmer to produce rice and somebody somewhere believes that these farmers should not be encouraged.

    “This is the only way our people can benefit. So, we are happy seizing this rice for the sake of the farmers in Nigeria. The common man is on the farm toiling to get food on the table. Then, somebody somewhere comes in to smuggle large quantities of rice to thwart their efforts.

    “We are resolved to continue to sabotage the efforts of these smugglers because what they are doing is tantamount to bringing the nation to its knees. Food security starts from home and we cannot but help our people to improve their lives.

    “We intercepted a wooden boat from Cameroon loaded with 3,434 bags of rice valued at N61,812,000. Accordingly, the boat and eight men were arrested and brought to the base. We have offloaded and we are here to hand over, as our operational mandate permits, that when we make this kind of arrest, we should hand over to the Nigeria Customs Service. That is what we are here to do.

    “The maritime awareness capability of the Nigerian Navy is up and running. I advise perpetrators of these illegal activities, especially smuggling of rice into the country, that it cannot work in the Calabar area.”

    “The Chief of the Naval Staff is particular about this and so is the Flag Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command. We are resolved in NNS Victory to ensure our mandate to police our waters effectively. We now have new boats added to the fleet. We are going to do more than we have been doing. I will advise the perpetrators of this act to have a rethink. It is not going to work. We are not jokers, saying we would catch you and we will not catch you. We are coming for you, no matter how highly placed.”

    Assistant Controller of Customs, Omachi Joshua, who represented the Eastern Marine Command base in Calabar, received the items and suspects.

    He said the items would be taken to the government warehouse and the suspects would be prosecuted.

  • Rice importation exit: No hiding for smugglers – Customs

    Rice importation exit: No hiding for smugglers – Customs

    When President Muhammadu Buhari gives the go-ahead for the implementation of total stoppage of rice importation this year, the smugglers will no longer have any hiding or guise for trading on the prohibited item.  

    His administration had last year stopped the importation of rice through land borders. Besides, in his 2018 New Year broadcast, he dropped the hint that there will be the total stoppage of rice import this year.

    But speaking with The Nation on phone on Sunday, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah, noted that the fight against rice smuggling will be easier when the policy implementation begins.

    He said that unlike now that the criminals hide under the guise of the seaport to smuggle rice into Nigeria, upon the enforcement of the policy, any rice that is not Nigerian, will be seized as a smuggled item. 

    He said that “We have been fighting rice smuggling and if there is a total stoppage in seaport, land borders and all that, I think criminals will no longer have a hiding place. “The difficulty of knowing whether this rice came from the seaport or land border will be totally out of the picture. As long as it is not locally produced rice, it is a smuggled rice. So, they cannot hide under any guise.” 

    Asked how prepared the service is to implement the policy, the spokesman noted that with the support of the Federal Government, the organization looks forward to possessing more vehicles and equipment in 2018.

    According to him, the NCS is prepared and will be better equipped to combat smugglers. 

    “He said that We are prepared. With the support of the government any moment from now we will be taking over vehicles and other working equipment. So, we are going to be better equipped this year and that will also boost our activities to deal with not only rice smuggling but also to deal with smuggling of any prohibited items.”

    Attah, however, noted that the challenge he envisages in the implementation of the policy is that of the unpatriotic Nigerians who still harbour smugglers.

    He appealed to the citizenry to appreciate smuggling as a criminal act, and support the service to fight them by exposing their act. 

    The PRO said that “There will be no other new challenges rather than the challenges we have been facing. I will rather say that we will appeal for support from Nigerians. 

    “People should look at smugglers as enemies of the state. And the act of smuggling itself is a crime and this means no good for Nigeria and Nigerians. The more we continue to expose them to customs the better we do. 

    “But in a situation where a fellow Nigerian will provide shelter to smugglers to hide could be a challenge. We appeal to all to support and understand that fighting smugglers is a collective responsibility. 

    “They should do their own by providing the solution to us by exposing smugglers so that they don’t have any hiding place.”

  • No hiding place for rice smugglers, says Customs

    No hiding place for rice smugglers, says Customs

    Customs will implement the presidential policy to end rice importation, Customs said yesterday.

    President Muhamamdu Buhari, in his  New Year broadcast, dropped the hint of a total stoppage of rice import this year.

    Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Public Relations Officer Joseph Attah  told The Nation that the fight against rice smuggling would be easier.

    He said: “We have been fighting rice smuggling and if there is a total stoppage in seaport, land borders and all that, I think criminals will no longer have a hiding place. The difficulty of knowing whether this rice came from seaport or land border will be totally out of the picture. As long as it is not locally produced rice, it is a smuggled rice. So, they cannot hide under any guise.”

    Asked how prepared the service is to implement the policy, the spokesman said: “We are prepared. With the support of the government, any moment from now we will be taking over vehicles and other working equipment. So, we are going to be better equipped this year and that will also boost our activities to deal with not only rice smuggling, but also to deal with smuggling of any prohibited items.”

    Attah added that the challenge he envisaged in the implementation of the policy was that of the unpatriotic Nigerians who haboured smugglers.

    The PRO said: “There will be no other new challenges rather than the challenges we have been facing. I will rather say that we will appeal for support from Nigerians.

    “People should look at smugglers as enemies of the state. And the act of smuggling itself is a crime and this means no good for Nigeria and Nigerians. The more we continue to expose them to customs the better we do.

    “But in a situation where a fellow Nigerian will provide shelter to smugglers to hide could be a challenge. We appeal to all to support and understand that fighting smugglers is a collective responsibility.

    “They should do their own by providing the solution to us by exposing smugglers so that they don’t have any hiding place.”