Navy seizes 358 bags of smuggled rice, arrests 4 suspects in A’Ibom

The Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, has seized another 358 bags of smuggled rice and apprehended four suspected smugglers in two separate operations. Items seized alongside the rice include two wooden boats, two 40 horsepower Yamaha outboard engine, and one pumping machine. Parading the suspects on Sunday in Ibaka during the handing over of the items and suspects to the Nigeria Customs Service, Commanding Officer, FOB, Captain Yusuf Idris, said four crew members were arrested with 266 bags of rice while in the second arrest, 92 bags of rice were seized from the smugglers who escaped into the creek. He said the spate of arrests is a sign that the smugglers have refused to desist from the act, noting that as long as the smugglers will not relent in illegal activities on the waterways, the Navy will not be tired in stamping out the smuggling trade. He stated that some of the smuggled rice were either expired, repolished or rebagged and injurious to the health of Nigerians, adding that it was one reason smuggling will be stiffly resisted by the Navy in the area. “We are always here, we are not tired and the Nigerian Navy high command is always empowering us with whatever we require to make sure that tax payers money that is used to pay us salary is being judiciously utilised to get rid of maritime illegality in Nigerian waterways. “The good effort of the Federal Government will be complemented by the Nigerian Navy. Some of the rice coming in are even expired which is repolished, rebagged and sent to our people; to protect the health of our citizens is another reason why smuggling especially in our area of operation will always meet a stiff resistance from us,” he said. Receiving the items and suspects, Deputy Superintendent of Customs and Unit Commander of Custom Strike Force in Uyo, Mr. Goni Babagana, said he was mandated by the Deputy Comptroller of Nigeria Customs Service and National Coordinator, Custom Strike Force, Mr. Abdullahi Kirawa, to receive the suspects and items from the Navy. He said: “On behalf of my Deputy Comptroller, Nigeria Customs, Mr. Abdullahi Kirawa, I am taking over in the first set, four suspects, one wooden boat, one 40 horsepower Yamaha outboard engine, 264 50kg bags each of parboiled rice, two 25kg each of parboiled rice and one pumping machine. “In the second set, I take over one wooden boat, one 40 horsepower Yamaha outboard boat engine, 90 50kg each of parboiled rice, two 25kg each of parboiled rice”. Isaac Job, Uyo