Nigerian investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, has raised the alarm over an alleged plan to smuggle over 130,000kg of rice into Nigeria from the Benin Republic.
Soyombo, known for his in-depth investigative work, made the disclosure on his X platform (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.
Soyombo specifically accused some officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of colluding with smugglers to facilitate the illegal importation of rice on Sunday night. He named Adeyemi Habeeb Abdulganiy, a prominent figure in the smuggling world, as the mastermind behind the smuggling. Abdulganiy, also known as Abuga, is reportedly orchestrating the transportation of the rice in over 2,000 cars, each carrying at least 65 bags of rice.
“Good evening, @CustomsNG. I am aware that your officers have colluded with smugglers to move well over 130,000kg of rice from Benin Republic into Nigeria tonight, Sunday, November 11, 2024,” Soyombo wrote.
He further detailed the smuggling routes, warning that the convoy of vehicles would enter Nigeria through various points, including Sango, Ifo, and the Oju-Ore-Ota route. Some of the cars were expected to drive against traffic at the toll gate near Sango, posing a risk to road users.
“Road users in Sango can expect traffic congestion early tomorrow morning unless this post prompts an about-face from the actors,” Soyombo warned.
He also alleged that soldiers from the 192 Battalion in Owode would be patrolling during the operation to prevent any resistance.
In a sharp rebuke to the Nigeria Customs Service, Soyombo suggested that the public would be skeptical of any future claims of seizures made by the authorities.
“@CustomsNG, just so you know, the people are watching; they will be hysterically laughing at you when you announce ‘seizure of one million bags of rice and 25 cartons of guns’ later this week,” he concluded.
The revelation has attracted public attention, with many awaiting a response from the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies regarding the alleged smuggling operation.
[Leadership]