Navy hands over 150 bags of seized rice to Customs

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has intercepted and handed over a large wooden boat laden with over 150 bags of foreign parboiled rice to the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Commander NNS BEECROFT and Maritime Component Commander of Operation AWATSE, Commodore Kolawole Olumide, told journalists in Lagos on Monday that the bags of rice were seized in the early hours of November 25th within the Lagos Anchorage.

He said the arrest was made with the help of the Maritime Domain Awareness Facility, the Falcon eye Alignment and the Base Quick Response Team under the ongoing Operation Water Guard.

Speaking, he said, “Following established protocols, the bags of rice were transported to Nigerian Navy Ship BEECROFT and handed over to officials of the Nigeria Customs Service for further necessary action.

“The action of the Nigerian Navy at confiscating contrabands and particularly the prevention of importation of foreign rice into the country will undoubtedly boost efforts of local farmers towards revenue generation necessary to ameliorate poverty and food insecurity for economic prosperity, ”

The Commander assured that the Nigerian Navy would sustain efforts at enforcing custom laws and assist in upholding government policies, which empowers small and medium scale enterprises (SME) to flourish.

“This interception further highlights the unwavering commitment of the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of Vice Admiral EI Ogalla, Chief of the Naval Staff towards curbing illegal activities within the nations maritime domain,” he concluded.