The Nigeria Customs Service has seized a total of 206,838 bags of rice valued at N2 billion in the last one year, data of seizures obtained by Daily Trust has shown.
Daily Trust had reported how renewed rice smuggling through the country’s borders is currently threatening the federal government’s efforts towards local production.
However, the Nigerian Customs in a reaction said it has stepped up its surveillance across these borders, leading to huge seizures.
Analysis of data by Daily Trust show that the seizures were done between May 2022 to April 2023 with the highest number of seizure coming in September 2022 as the Service seized 96,312 bags of rice.
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In terms of monetary value, the highest amount of seizure was recorded in February 2023 with an estimated value of N420.83 million.
A breakdown of the data shows that the Customs Service seized 18,141 bags of rice valued at N370.24 million in May while 13,775 bags were seized in June valued at N260.5 million.
Also in July, August, and September of 2022, the Service seized 116, 818 bags of rice worth N705 million.
In October 12, 738 bags of rice were seized with a total monetary value of N334.59 million while 3,564 bags were seized in November valued at N76.85 million, just as 6,618 bags were seized in December valued at N90.92 million.
Subsequently, in the year 2023, the Customs Service seized 11,198 bags of rice in January and another 12,239 bags in February which were valued at N757 million.
In March, it seized 3,744 bags worth N85.58 million. In April and May, the Customs also seized 8,000 bags of rice worth N348 million.
Further analysis also revealed that in the year under review, the Service arrested 344 suspects, 291 from May to December 2022 and 53 from January to May 2023.
Also speaking to Daily Trust on the status of Nigerian borders, the National Public Relations Officer of the Customs Service, CSC. Abdullahi Maiwada said the Service did not receive any formal directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reopen additional borders.
His words: “The last directive the Customs Service received on the reopening of borders in April 2022 were the four additional borders that were reopened. One in Idiroko, Ogun state, the other in Jibiya, Katsina state, then the Kamba border in Kebbi state and the Ikang border in Cross River state which was replaced with the Ikom border that was initially approved by the President.
“These are the four additional borders that were reopened based on the directive of former president Muhammadu Buhari. For now, we are yet to receive any presidential directive on the reopening of any additional border,” the Customs National PRO explained.
