Customs Impound 2 Navy Trucks Implicated In Smuggling

BY FUNMI ALUKO

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operation Unit, Zone ‘A’ Lagos have impounded two trucks belonging to the Nigeria Navy (NN), suspected to have been involved in rice smuggling along the Mile 2-Badagry border axis.

According to indindings, while the first navy truck said to have been arrested on December 4, 2024 was believed to be carrying about 140 bags of 50kg rice, the second truck arrested shortly afterwards on December 11, 2024 was said to have been loaded with about 100 bags of  50kg rice.

While individual navy personnel directly or indirectly involved in the matter are alleging official over zealousness, sour relationship and retaliation, industry rumour making the round is peddling suggestion of an ongoing cold war between the customs and navy.

Those whose business it is to know say the awkward and tardy official manner the seizures are being handled may have lend credence to the controversy surrounding the development.  Contrary to official procedures, reports indicate that while the impounded trucks and their contents are not documented in the record book of the FOU at its head office in Ikeja, one of the trucks without the rice exhibits is reportedly lying at the premises of the FOU Agbara station; while the whereabout of the sec ond truck appears unknown.

Contacted to confirm and provide information and update about the seizures, the Unit Spokesman, Theophilous Duniya denied knowledge of the said seizures. In a terse reply to our reporter’s inquiry, Duniya said “we have no record of such a seizure.”

In addition, discreet findings also failed to validate industry rumour that the two agencies of government are currently at logger head, following unconfirmed reports that the naval authority have already directed its Disciplinary Committee to investigate the matter.

While the conflict is further fueled by Customs FOU denial of the said arrest of the naval trucks in its custody,  the quiet whispering regarding the purported investigation of some  officials of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Badagry, believed to have been linked to the movement of the rice, has served as an icing on the cake.

This is even as sources close to the FOB Badagry informed that the rice in question were purchased from the market and faulted the arrest, noting that  it is official over zealousness for customs to alert every rice moving along the axis as smuggled rice.

A navy insider who spoke with our reporter in confidence who expressed displeasure at the development however said he believes that the matter will be resolve; noting that both customs and navy are actually on the same page in protecting the national interest.

Confirming the arrest, he said, “Badagry is a Nigerian town, even apart from Badagry, border towns and communities in this country have right to trade in rice.

“It is annoying how customs always harass Nigerians moving with rice along the road on the pretext that they are smuggled.”

Explaining the status of the rice he said, “Personnel working in Lagos know that rice is cheaper at some designated markets including the border markets. They contacted their colleagues in Badagry to help them buy from cheap sources for their families for the christmas and new year festivities.

“So it is not true that the rice you’re asking about was purchased and not smuggled as the customs told you. I know that the issue will be resolved, customs and the navy are partners in safeguarding the interest of the nation.”

He accused individual officers as the ones often fueling inter-agency rivalry and misunderstanding whenever their personal questionable activities goes wrong.

This is even as he alleged that the holding of the navy trucks is borne out of malice which he said followed a recent interrogation of a rice stockpile in a fuel filling station at one of the border towns in which resident customs officers and operatives of the unit allegedly showed interest.