Customs Seizes 7,200 Bags of Poisonous Simba Rice At Idiroko Border
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has impounded 7,200 bags of poisonous parboiled rice branded Simba and arrested 12 smugglers at the Idiroko border in Ogun state.
The seizure at the border occurred shortly after the opening of the border which was closed down along with others by the federal government in 2019. Some were opened earlier but the Idiroko border was opened in April 2022 with three others after three years of closure by the federal government.
Over 1,000 bags of the total number that were imported from India and smuggled through the Port at the Republic of Benin, contain poisonous lead according to the Controller of the unit, Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu who said that it was revealed by a laboratory test analysis by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC),.
He stated that the parboiled rice branded Simba contained some contents of lead (a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element), making it unfit for human consumption.
Ejibunu said: “Consequent upon this laboratory analysis on the foreign parboiled rice; as a responsible government agency, we are letting Nigerians know that apart from the negative economic impact of importing foreign rice into the country, some of these imported rice is unhealthy for human consumption.
“Pursuant to the federal government’s policy that encourages local production of rice against the importation of foreign parboiled rice. Thus, we advise consumers to desist from patronising the federal government banned foreign parboiled rice. We as citizens have a collective responsibility to safeguard our economy and health for the benefit of all.”
He listed other seizures in April 2022 as including 55,800 litres of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), 73 bales of used clothes, 82 units of used fridges, 104 pieces of compressors, another 143 bales of new textile and 1,264 pieces of used tyres.
Others are 156 cartons of frozen poultry, 7,960 pairs of new shoes, 240 pieces of ladies’ purses, 93 cartons of tin tomato, 2 units of foreign used vehicles, 11 pieces of used rugs, with a cumulative duty paid value (DPV) of N533.17million.
According to him, a total of twelve 12 suspects were arrested in connection with some of the seizures; for committing various customs offences.
Ejibunu stressed that smugglers were building warehouses near Cotonou to smuggle rice into the country.
He added: “Following a series of diligent documentary checks on some initially cleared cargoes, demand notices (DN) were raised to the sum of N111.826 million which was ultimately collected as revenue for the federal government.
Apart from the federal government’s policies geared towards the protection of its local economy against foreign competitors, the government in her wisdom prohibits goods like used clothes, used fridges/compressors and used tyres among others; because of their attending effects on the security, health and the economy.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to acquaint themselves with the import prohibition list for compliance and to cooperate with the Service to safeguard our country.”
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