Navy intercepts 162 bags of suspected smuggled rice in Lagos offshore

By : NAN

Date: 18 July 2021 4:24pm WAT

Special forces of the Nigerian navy sails to apprehend pirates in a mock operations during the five-day joint military exercise between Nigeria and French navy codenamed Grand African NEMO (Navy Exercise Maritime Operations) in Nigerian waters on October 30, 2019. - The Nigerian Navy has participated in a five-day multinational military exercise codenamed Grand African NEMO (Navy Exercise Maritime Operations), and with a joint naval drills with the French counterpart designed to support regional navies and allied nations to check criminal activities and perfect strategies in tackling maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea. (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP)

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT on routine patrol recently intercepted a wooden boat with 162 bags of foreign parboiled rice off the shore of Lagos.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore Bashir Mohammed on Sunday in Lagos.

Mohammed said the patrol team intercepted the boat at 3:30pm on June 8.

“Preliminary investigations by the Base reveals that the bags of rice were all foreign parboiled rice smuggled into the country from Republic of Benin.

“In line with the Nigerian Navy Standard Operating Procedures, NNS BEECROFT on Friday, July 9 handed over the Cotonou boat and 162 bags of rice to the Nigeria Customs Service,” the Commodore said.

Mohammed warned smugglers to steer clear off Lagos maritime environment.

He said that the base would be relentless to bring an end to smuggling within its area of operations in line with the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo’s strategic directive for 2021 to 2025.

“As partners for a safe maritime environment, members of the public, especially our host communities, are enjoined to kindly furnish the base with credible information to assist in curbing activities of criminal elements and economic saboteurs,” Mohammed appealed.