The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has identified borders through which massive smuggling of foreign rice into the country’s markets occurs.
The service has therefore directed its Controllers and Unit Heads to collaborate with sister agencies to intensify surveillance and patrol at the five identified borders.
The borders, which aid the nefarious activity of smuggling include Kongoram, Babura, Saki, Seme and Owode borders.
An internal memo dated February 1, 2021 and signed by UG Mohammed, an Acting Assistant Comptroller-General, urged the Comptrollers and Unit Heads to be alive to their responsibilities.
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He pointed out that they would be personally held liable for the action or inaction of their officers.
The memo read, “…following the recent phased reopening of land borders in the nation, there have been myriads of reports on massive smuggling of rice which have since flooded Nigerian markets as reported in several Nigerian dailies with pictorial evidences.
“The Comptroller-General frowns at this development as it negates government’s agricultural policy and portends grave danger to the nation’s economy, and therefore remedial measures must be put in place to tackle this dangerous trend, as a matter of urgency.”
