Customs Warn Nigerians Against Smuggled Rice

Ali who was speaking at a joint news conference on illegal rice importation in Abuja on Tuesday discouraged Nigerians from purchasing them.

The Custom boss said that samples of some of the rice seized at the border were referred to NAFDAC to ascertain their condition, with the agency proclaiming that smuggled rice through the land borders are unfit for human consumption.

“Importation of rice into the country is not banned but restricted on the point of entry to seaports only,’’ Ali said.

`We remain firm in our resolve to enforce the restriction of rice imports only to our seaports.

“We have re-organised our anti-smuggling patrols to provide additional capability and bite.”

Ali explained that during his recent trip to neighbouring Benin Republic, different groups came to him offering to pay all charges applicable if customs relax the policy on borders.

He noted that Customs recorded significant increase in seizures in the first three quarters of the year, with 117,034 (50kg) bags of rice been made at a duty paid value of N774.2 million.

Ali said have discovered several ways inventive ways people smuggle illegal goods into the country consumed as food in Nigerians.

“We have seen rice conveyed in open wooden canoes across our creeks and water ways with generous amount of dirty waters splashing on them.

“We have seen some mixed with other grains bags to deceive customs; some are stuffed inside any available crevice and compartments of vehicles, including the engine area.

“The concealed rice is thereafter re-bagged half cooked and presented in our markets for sale as imported rice.

“Bags of rice meant for Nigerians’ consumption (are) being conveyed in coffins inside make shift ambulance vehicles.

“Often time, importers in the borders have to wait for months for the green light from corrupt customs officials before they gamble their ways across the borders.

“Rice being a perishable product, lose valuable shelve life in non-conductive strong conditions.

“We have strong evidence linking some reputable importers to cases of re-bagging expired rice to prolong their shelve life,’’ he added.

The custom boss further advocated for the consumption of locally produced rice in the country, adding that state governments have massively invested in it.

He said the Federal Government, through the intervention by CBN and Bank of Industry, was also investing to give momentum to rice revolution.

According to him, Kebbi State Government, in 2016, harvested over 700,000 tonnes from irrigation farming while 800,000 tonnes were projected from rain-fed rice farming with similar projection from other states across the country.
He said the support of patriotic Nigerians, “will not only achieve national self-sufficiency of rice in 2017 but be in pole position to clamp a total ban on its importation in the years ahead”.

It will be recalled that in April 2016, customs re-introduced the ban on importation through the land borders.