Officers in the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory in Cross River State have arrested six Cameroonians smuggling 700 bags of parboiled foreign rice into the country through the Calabar Channel.
Also arrested with the Cameroonians, who were in the country without requisite papers, were seven Nigerians, working with them.
Commander, NNS Victory, Commodore Julius Nwagu, who handed over the illegal immigrants to the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the seized rice and Nigerians to the Nigerian Customs Service, at the NNS Victory jetty in Calabar, said the contraband was worth about N11.2 million.
“These six Cameroonians got involved in the smuggling of the parboiled rice and they entered into Nigeria without the requisite papers thereby violating the Immigrations Laws in Nigeria and that is why I invited the Immigration to hand him over while the Nigeria Customs Service will take over the rice and the other Nigerians who are involved in the smuggling.
“Christmas is coming and people want to make quick money by smuggling in rice into the country but the Nigerian Navy is hell bent on ensuring that the Federal Government on ban on importation of parboiled rice into the country is upheld.
“We would never allow it as a service, and under the able leadership of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, we will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring that our policing roles are upheld and we have the available platforms to patrol the waters, especially in the Eastern flank here,” Nwagu said.
Assistant Comptroller of Immigration in charge of the Marine Unit, Tsumba Terna, who received the Cameroonians, said anyone entering Nigeria must have the requisite papers.
He said they would be dealt with according to laid down procedures to handle such situations.
A Superintendent of Customs, Akpan Ime
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