Senate asks customs to return foreign rice seized in Ibadan markets

The senate on Tuesday asked the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to return bags of foreign rice seized from Ojo Oba market in Ibadan, Oyo state.

This follows a recent raid by custom officials on some shops in Ojo Oba market on Saturday, leaving the market with about eight truckloads of bags of rice.

The customs personnel also carried out similar operation in March in Bodija market, also in Ibadan, where they seized some bags of rice.

Confirming the recent incident, Theophilus Duniya, spokesman of the federal operation unit (FOU), zone A, said the service is empowered to break into any shop or warehouse whenever it suspects contraband items are stocked in them.

Kola Balogun, the senator representing Oyo south senatorial district, presented a petition before the senate on behalf of the affected traders.

Thereafter, Ahmed Lawan, senate president, mandated the senate committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions to investigate the alleged invasion of rice traders shops at Bodija market by custom officials.

Members of the panel were unanimous in their condemnation of the NCS, insisting that its action was a breach of the Customs Act and the Executive Order signed by former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007.

The legislation empowers the agency to only impound smuggled goods, 40 kilometers radius to the border.

The panel urged Hameed Ali, comptroller general of customs, to ensure that the seized goods were returned to the affected traders within two weeks.

It also directed that their shops should be unlocked while money allegedly taken from the shops must be equally returned.

Ayo Akinyelure, chairman of the panel, had said a similar string of operation carried out by the customs personnel in Katsina state led to the dismissal of the officer to laid the raid.