The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, says 99 per cent of rice smuggled through the land borders is not fit for human consumption.
Ali said this at a joint news conference on illegal rice importation to Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said samples of some of the rice seizures made over a period were referred to NAFDAC to ascertain their condition.


He said the test reports certified that smuggled rice through the borders was unfit for human consumption.
“Importation of rice into the country is not banned but restricted on the point of entry to seaports only.

`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 said.

Ali said that during his recent trip to Benin Republic to engage with colleagues in customs on effective management of the borders, some delegations from groups came giving commitments to pay all charges applicable if customs relaxed the policy on borders.

According to him, there has been a significant increase in seizures in the first three quarter of 2016.

He said 117,034 (50kg) bags of rice seizures had been made at a duty paid value of N774.2 million.

He said customs seizures had revealed several ingenious but devilish ways of smuggling into country what Nigerians consumed as food.

“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.

He said that promoters of the economic subterfuge were seeking a re-introduction of quota system to import 1.5 million tonnes through the entry point

“We will be waiting for them.”

Ali said that many state governments had injected massive investments in local production of rice.

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

Ali said 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 that customs was inundated with periodic intelligence about ship loads of parboiled rice that offloaded regularly in the neighbouring port of Cotonou.

Ali added that Benin Republic did not eat parboiled rice, adding that the imports were ultimately destined for Nigeria by smuggling through the land borders

He said that with the support of patriotic Nigerians, “we 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”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that in April 2016, customs re-introduced the ban on importation through the land borders.

However, the reversal of the policy introduced in October 2015, was informed by high level of non-compliance by rice importers who resorted to large scale smuggling of the product.

http://m.guardian.ng/news/customs-boss-says-99-of-smuggled-rice-not-fit-for-consumption/

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But, it's good to share it among yourselves when impounded for your family & friend's consumption??

Please NCS we no dey complain, no be our belle we dey take chop am, izit your own??

Just look at those comments then u know were our problem as a nation is

NCS, so you telling us that the countries they smuggle them from, intentionally make rice that are unhealthy for consumption. Lest we forget there's no particular brand of rice for smugglers. It is the same rice imported to Nigeria that is imported to Cotonou and smuggled to Nigeria

. Clowns

Hehehehehe Nigerians won't hear, but come to think of it, y will local rice be expensive n u expect people to go for it?. A bag of thailand rice is 18000 while Labana rice produced in Kebbi goes for 17000k. D difference aint much

When I said that the sufferings and hunger in Nigeria is deliberately induced people take me for an enemy.

We've been eating this rice since before the amalgamation and didn't die until it takes Buhari or the illiterate Ali to discover it.

Now the number if people dying from hunger is more than those dying from the 'poison' rice. Who is fooling who?

Lol

Take a look at those wailers' comments above & tell me if wailers are not a cuss to this country. The shambolic act of smuggling is utterly pathetic such that they would cover up rice in anything unsavoury just to evade arrests at the detriment of Nigerians. Our local rice are good enough for us , a good number are stone free. Stupid wailers, crying wailers, crazy wailers.
Obey the truth!

But we have been eating them and we have been growing fat. Abi you want us to die of hunger ni?
The zombie above me though, he would rather die of hunger than acknowledge his tin god's errors and ineptitude.
In Fela's voice :"zombie o zombie"

Oga Forget that one jooor; how many pple yaff die of eating the rice?

Lord help us.

A very big lie.

Hw e take knw

Playing politics with everything

99% Chaiiii.... Oga why yu lying?? why tf yu lying? .. Hmmn Oh my God! anyways...

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Ok. But y can't the Nigerian farmers plant and harvest rice of foreign standard

You see some Nigerian rice looking so ugly and unappealing!

He had forgotten that 99 percent of our LEADERS are harmful to us! Also, he should know that 99 percent of our officers, roads, power supply, water, education, aircraft, trains, okadas, cars, imams, pastors, herbalists, politicians and even judges are harmful to nigerians. So rice is even small. He himself is harmful to us.

Which rice? The one we have been eating or the one we are about to eat.
Funny how everyone comes to the public to talk gibberish, don't call a Dog a bad name just for the sake of hanging it. I'm sure oga comptroller must have eaten this rice several times too.

timeman:
Take a look at those wailers' comments above & tell me if wailers are not a cuss to this country. The shambolic act of smuggling is utterly pathetic such that they would cover up rice in anything unsavoury just to evade arrests at the detriment of Nigerians. Our local rice are good enough for us , a good number are stone free. Stupid wailers, crying wailers, crazy wailers.
Obey the truth!

English is in trouble.

The so said customs wives and concubines are the ones involved in massive importation of rice and vegetable oil at d borders ...the NCS is one of the most corrupt force u can think of

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

timeman:
Take a look at those wailers' comments above & tell me if wailers are not a cuss to this country. The shambolic act of smuggling is utterly pathetic such that they would cover up rice in anything unsavoury just to evade arrests at the detriment of Nigerians. Our local rice are good enough for us , a good number are stone free. Stupid wailers, crying wailers, crazy wailers.
Obey the truth!

common keep quiet!!! What has your god done if not to push up the price of rice from 9k to 20k/bag by his mega outstanding cluelessness? Na wailers increase price?

Thunder fire you n ur oga.... D rice wey we don dey chop since d days of econet to d days of aircom to celtel to Zain now to airtel. Na now d rice no fit for consumption. E no go better for you, oga custom.