Nigerian Customs seizes 1,237 bags of expired rice

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), yesterday disclosed the seizure of 1,237 bags of expired foreign parboiled rice by its men in the  Lagos command.

This was made known to newsmen at the command warehouse in Ikeja by the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the unit, Comptroller Muhammed Uba Garba.

The seized items were valued at N9million and were allegedly imported from neighboring Benin Republic.

“These are 50kg of 1,237 bags of foreign Rice with duty of over N8million and some of these rice are expired.

“The ban of FG on rice and import vehicles are still in force and that is why we have to enforce the FG policy on ban of importation of rice and vehicles.

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“We will continue to enforce the policies because there is policy on local rice production we have to encourage local rice millers that will encourage the farmers for local production to improve and majority of Nigerians will get employed.

“Some of these rice are expired and these are used clothing and they are under prohibition and as policy implementers, we must ensure this goods are not allowed to come in”.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Federal government policies banning the importation of rice and vehicles through the land borders are still in force and the Nigeria Customs Service remains tenacious in its determination to enforce these policies,” he warned sternly.