Samel Awoyinfa and Afeez Hanafi

Rice sellers in Sango Market , in the Ado Odo/ Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State on Wednesday blocked the Temidire end of the Lagos -Abeokuta Expressway for over seven hours .

The traders were protesting against the alleged invasion of customs officials from the Federal Operation Unit (FOU ) of the Nigeria Customs Service , Ikeja , who allegedly broke several shops in the market around 12 am .

The operatives, who were reportedly accompanied by soldiers attached to OP MESSA , were said to have impounded about 4 , 550 bags of rice and 75 jerrycans of vegetable oil, estimated at millions of naira.

The traders also accused the officials of breaking their safes and taking money during the operation that lasted for about three hours .

It took the intervention of the Area Commander , Sango - Ota, ACP Fayoade Adegoke , and a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly , Akinpelu Aina , before the expressway was opened at 2 . 15 pm
But the customs stated that 1 , 870 bags of rice and 43 jerrycans of vegetable oil smuggled into the country were seized , adding that its officials did not break any shop .

PUNCH Metro learnt that the operatives engaged carriers to load the products into about 13 trailers out of the 15 they brought.
After the invasion , traders blocked the expressway at about 7 am hindering vehicular movements in the Sango area .

One of the traders , Kudirat Fasinu , who spoke in Yoruba, showed our correspondent a receipt of vegetable oil worth N 1 . 5 m she bought on Saturday, saying that the item and 300 bags of rice were taken away .

“ I just finished prayer around 1 am when I got a call that customs men were breaking shops and removing goods . They broke my shop and took away 75 jerrycans of 25 litres vegetable oil and 300 bags of rice. I got here around 1 . 30 am , ” Fasinu said .

Another trader , who gave her name only as Mrs. Egbasite , said 50 bags of rice in front of her shop were confiscated, adding that she bought the goods on credit.

Another rice seller in the market popularly known as Iya Okiki, said she just bought 125 jerrycans of vegetable oil worth N1 , 510, 000 , adding that all were taken away.

The Iyaloja of the market , Mrs. Deborah Bankole , said , “ I was informed about the incident around 1 . 15 am , that customs men were breaking our shops . By the time I got here , they had started packing rice and vegetable oil. They came with men of the OP MESSA .

“ They also broke safes of some traders and went away with their money. We bought these goods in Sango . Most of us are widows; government should come to our aid . We bought these goods on credit. ”

The Babaloja , Alhaji Shakirudeen Olasege, described the operation as contraband, adding that if goods were illegal , the shops were supposed to be sealed and their owners invited for questioning.

He said , “ We are going to Abeokuta tomorrow ( Thursday ) to meet with Governor Ibikunle Amosun and the state House of Assembly . Goods and cash worth about N700 m were seized during the raid by customs. I learnt that the men entered the market around 12 am . They came with 15 trailers and went with 13 trailer- load of rice. Each trailer contained 350 bags . Some of the officers wore masks.

“ This is burglary . Two customs officials, identified as Jude and Alawo Ekun , led the illegal operation . ”

One of the drivers that transported bags of rice to the market , Semiu White , said he was disturbed that the officials could embark on such an operation after allegedly collecting money at the borders .

He said , “ If we load a car with bags of rice from Idiroko to Sango, we pay N1 , 000 at every customs checkpoint . There are more than 18 checkpoints between Idiroko and Ajilete. At times , some officials would insist on collecting extra before passing the vehicle . ”

The Ado Odo/Ota LGA Chairman , Oladele Adeniji , told one of our correspondents that he had contacted the state controller of NCS and the state governor
He said , “I have appealed to the rice sellers to remain calm . The matter will be resolved . ”
The spokesperson for the customs FOU , Ikeja , Jerry Attah , said some smugglers had been trailed to the market . He explained that the officials swung into action the moment the items were offloaded and debunked the claims that the shops were broken .

He said , “Our men, with the assistance of other security agencies , went to the scene around 4 am with seven trucks and packed some bags of rice in front of a warehouse and they were brought to the office around 6 am . After physical examination , it was discovered that the trucks contained 1 , 870 bags of rice of 50 kg each and of different brands. Forty three jerrycans of vegetable oil were also seized . The value of the rice is N12 , 425 , 022 .
“ They were supposed to go back to the premises to pack the remaining quantity . But considering the volatility of the area , going back there would cause an attack and may lead to a shootout . No single shop was broken .

“ The essence of this action is not to deter people from doing their businesses . But we are against economic saboteurs who have devised a means of sabotaging the economy by indulging in smuggling . People take advantage of our porous borders to perpetrate nefarious activities like this . ”

source:
http://punchng.com/customs-men-break-shops-seize-4550-bags-rice/

Looking for rice and oil to feed northern IDP camps

It is the custom guys at the border that allow these people to pass after collecting money. THIS IS A FACT. Even their boss at the headquarters know this.

Our custom officials should be named the "THE MOST CORRUPT INSTITUTION IN THE WORLD" followed by the Police.

Those people stink of corruption.

Eledan:
Looking for rice and oil to feed northern IDP camps

huh??

They want to use it feed idp camp while someone collects money on contract from fg for thier feeding. And yet they are fighting corruption. Now its yoruba watch as everyone will condemn it but if its ipob goods then its normal

Custom is one of the most corrupt agency in Nigeria.

as stated in the write up, the proper thing would have been to seal/post guards at the 'offending' shops & then carry out a thorough check on the alleged contrabands.

those guilty of flouting the law should then be arrested & goods seized...

Who are they trying to deceive? I bet the flew wings and passed the border abi? All these institutions that wear uniforms in Nigeria needs to be scrapped and a new recruitment done with proper medical evaluation.

I think the headline should be 'Local thieves broke into a rice store and cart away with 4,550 bags. Custom are to seal not to steal.


On the other news:

I don't know if I should be happy or sad...

I just received two SMS frm my Bae:
First SMS: Let's break up now, it's all over.
Second SMS: Sorry, sorry, sorry, that was not for you

around 4am? that's bad ooo. you dont go to peoples shop that early na.. ARE WE STILL THE SECOND BEST PRODUCERS OF RICE IN THE WORLD OR NOT?

One of this day custom men will ransack our various homes looking for contrabands like rice nd stew cos we made the stew too with tin tomatoes... Rubbish country

Niaja oh! Sorry Lie Muhammad said no body shld call Nigeria such name. This kontry get as e b oo.

those that called her a zoological garden are kinda right. recent developments suggests.

Can't they sell Ambode's rice and conserve forex.

Mynd44 day don break

They were warned, but they refused. They said they want change, my people, change has come.
I just found out that as a military head of state, buhari ruled Nigeria for only 20 months (31st December 1983 till 28 August 1985) before he was removed. Fast forward to 32 later he has only spent 20 months in power as president (29th May 2015 till 19th January 2016) before he handed over power to his VP.
Oh Lord, I beg you to condemn any Spirit of 20 months hovering around my life, the life of my relatives, and the life of any non-ZOMBIE reading this message.
Can I hear a loud Amen!!!

One dey una go carry poisoned rice and feed the IDP and when wahala happen u will still accuse the rice owner for man slaughter. Sack ur people at the border and put another set.

Before you can enter somebody's shop or confiscate somebody's goods you will need a warrant...I thought.

Another move to cause scarcity when they could go after their men that left the boarder porous to smugglers... What a misplaced priority

Keneking:
Can't they sell Ambode's rice and conserve forex.

Mynd44 day don break

Keneking sef! Welcome back!

Nigerian military and paramilitary sef! Breaking into people's shops when everywhere is dark to confiscate goods which should have been been at the border and using soldiers as shield. This looks like a legal robbery. Why not wait to do it when people can see you?

These goods cannot enter if there's no insider among them. Man the borders well, una no gree...

ivandragon:
as stated in the write up, the proper thing would have been to seal/post guards at the 'offending' shops & then carry out a thorough check on the alleged contrabands.

those guilty of flouting the law should then be arrested & goods seized...

Do they understand these laws? They're not the only one. See EFCC that will use red paint to deface walls of seized buildings under investigation instead of using that tape used to seal off an area.

I wonder what people will say since SE is not affected unlike last year December when they were accused of always bringing in contraband. I remember people accusing Igbos of playing the victim when customs were seizing bags of rice and extorting travellers.

So d way d govt wants to force don prices of commodities is by breaking into ppl's shops and warehouses by force.. Did d traders cross d bother to steal the items or what are their crimes exactly?
1984/85 is here again..

N

Let people like Peter Obi came and say this is also targeted against Ibo traders.

It's 1984 all over again...sigh

Okies

Authorities on illegal mission always look for excuses. If they rice were smuggled in, were they not through the borders? Evil people in position of authority all over Nigeria.

Feraz:
I remember people accusing Igbos of playing the victim when customs were seizing bags of rice and extorting travellers.

Thank for this. This is simply an illegal operations. Makes me wonder if no smuggling happens up north.

Ok o

wicked, they must kill person for this country

For the spokesperson of custom to say that the shops were not broken, then i can now safely conclude that all security operatives in Nigeria are liars