By Steve Agbota
Despite the Federal Government ban on importation of foreign parboiled rice through the seaports, containers of rice imported through the Lagos seaports, smuggled out of port into a warehouse.
Speaking, the coordinator, Comptroller-General Strike Force Unit, Zone A, Mohammed Yusuf, said the rice was intercepted from a bonded warehouse after it left the Lagos seaports.
“When I came in, I said I have zero tolerance for sharp practices. Based on intelligence and hardwork of my officers, we swung into action and this yellow bagged foreign rice, most of them were brought in by unscrupulous importers who operate in some bonded warehouses without payment of duty.
“This rice was intercepted based on intelligence and we went to the warehouse and brought the containers. Duties are not supposed to be paid on the rice because government has already banned rice through seaports and land borders. And as the containers found their way in and the warehouse was sealed.
“Terminal operators noticed that he’s expecting a container and later discovered that the containers have been diverted, they gave us this intelligence information, we discovered that and we sealed the place off.”
“The importer expected that the container was coming into his bonded terminal. We got the warehouse and right inside, we saw rice stacked so, it was evacuated and it has been sealed as we speak,” he said.
He said government was promoting self sufficiency in rice and have thus invested in local farmers through Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme (ABS), hence the country’s producers must be supported.
“This rice was intercepted from a warehouse and we know government is doing its best to ensure production is sustained but because of the insatiable demands for foreign goods, Nigerians are not yielding and they have to import this.
“Government has given lot of money to farmers to improve and, of course, it takes some time but if Nigerians are patient, the rice gap will be filled and even the quality will be improved.”