Navy seizes 40 bags of smuggled rice, impounds boat

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

The Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base (FOB), Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has seized 40 bags of smuggled rice and impounded a wooden boat used in smuggling the item.

The Commanding Officer, FOB, Navy Capt. Muhammed Kabiru, said this in Ibaka on Wednesday when he handed over the bags of rice to the Nigeria Customs Service.

According to Kabiru, the 40 bags of rice were seized from smugglers on February 15, during routine patrol operations by the FOB.

He added that the smugglers abandoned the rice and the boat and fled on sighting the naval patrol team.

Kabiru stressed that the base would not relent in their fight in putting an end to illegalities on the Akwa Ibom waterways.

The commanding officer noted that the seizure was premised on the directives of the Chief of Naval Staff Vice Adm. Auwul Gambo, of zero tolerance to all forms of criminalities on Nigeria’s maritime domain, particularly rice smuggling and crude oil theft.

“Officers and men of Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, actually an incident happened on Feb. 15, 2022, at about 18:00 hours during our usual patrol to weed out all forms of illegalities within our areas of responsibility. 

“We came across a boat suspected to be a smuggling boat upon sighting our gunboat the crew jumped into the water and swam to the nearby creek, thereby escaping arrest.

“We have no option but to tow the boat to the base the boat is here at the jetty with the outboard engine, the content of the boat has been discharged, which is 40 bags 50kg of rice is here.

“So, I Navy Capt.Muhammad Kabiru, Commanding Officer of FOB Ibaka, on behalf of officers and men of FOB Ibaka, I hereby handed over the content of the boat 40 bags of 50kg rice to Superintendent Kikems Danbana of Nigeria Customs Service, Joint Border Patrol Team, Oron area for further investigation and possible prosecution,” Muhammed said.

Kabiru ordered smugglers to relocate out of the Nigerian maritime borders, stressing that it would not be business for them as usual.

He urged them to desist from smuggling and other illegal businesses and engage in legitimate endeavours.

“I will like to use this opportunity to warn those maritime criminals that it is not going to be business as usual. That they should desist from their criminal ways and engage in genuine business, otherwise the long arm of the law will catch up on them,” he said.

Receiving the 40 bags of rice on behalf of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Kikems Danbana, Officer in Charge of Oron Axis, Joint Border Patrol Team said the custom would do everything possible to stop smuggling in the country.

Danbana urged the smugglers to desist from the illegal trade, stressing that the NCS would continue to check all economic sabotage in the country.