Customs seize 8 Trucks loaded with Rice at Oja Oba Market in Ibadan

Barely two months after men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) stormed the popular Bodija International Market where they carted away about 250 bags of rice, the anti-smuggling agency has again raided Oja Oba market in Ibadan, where eight trucks loaded with bags of rice were confiscated.

Our source gathered that the raid was carried out in the early hours of Saturday.

While the Public Relations Officer of Oyo/Osun Customs Command, Kayode Wey, said the raid was not carried out by men of the command, he explained that it was the Federal Operation Unit of the NCS that raided the market.

The Public Relations Officer of NCS, FOU Zone A, Mr Theophilus Duniya, confirmed the raid saying “You are aware that the Federal Government imposed a ban on importation of foreign rice to encourage local production in the country.

“As it stands, foreign rice is contraband and the law empowers us. The act that established the service empowers officers to carry out such operations.

“To break into any shop or warehouse upon reasonable suspicion that prohibited goods are stored, we evacuate them. That is what happened. This is Federal Operation Unit Zone A in charge of southwest zone”

Credit: Vanguard