Okon Bassey in Uyo
20 suspects have been arrested and 1,425 bags of smuggled rice seized by the Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base at Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State.
The command said four wooden boats used to carry the smuggled rice have also been seized, revealing that the arrests were made in four different operations between November 12 and 18, 2019.
Speaking yesterday in Ibaka, Commanding Officer, FOB, Navy Captain Peter Yilme, said the navy gunboats during patrols sited the boats on Effiat waterways carrying 50kg bags of rice into Nigeria from the Republic of Cameroon.
Handing over the suspects and items to the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Yilme said the Nigerian Navy has zero tolerance for criminality, and warned smugglers to desist from the act, especially within FOB Ibaka area of operation.
Yilme, who was represented by the Base Operations Officer, Lieutenant Commander Kabiru Yusuf, said the base, in the last one month, handed over 3,800 bags of smuggled rice, 60 drums of illegally refined diesel, and 60 suspects to the Customs component of Operation Swift Response for necessary action.
He said: “Four wooden boats carrying a combined 1,425 bags of 50kg parboiled rice suspected to be smuggled into the country and 20 suspects were impounded and arrested by the Forward Operating Base, Ibaka.
“The handover of the 20 suspects and 1,425 bags of rice on November 19, 2019, shows the resolve of the Base not relenting on its oars. The arrests were made between November 12 and 18, 2019.
“I commend the untiring efforts of the officers and ratings in ensuring the mandate and tasks of the Base are achieved. I also appreciate the immense effort of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral I. E. Ibas, for providing the necessary platform and logistic support for the Base to carry out its operations.”
While receiving the 20 suspects, 1,425 bags of rice and two wooden boats from the Nigerian Navy, the Deputy Superintendent of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Alabi, Adedokun, commended the Navy for the cooperation existing between them as well as the frequent arrests.
Meanwhile, one of the suspects, Peter Okon with three children from Okobo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, said joblessness led him into smuggling the bags of rice.
He said it was his first time in smuggling rice and that the owner of the rice promised to pay him N2, 000 to bring in 200 bags of rice from Cameroon to Nigeria.
Another suspect, Samuel Etim, 23, from Oron Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, said he was not involved in smuggling of the seized bags of rice.
He stated that he was a fisherman in Bakassi and boarded the boat containing the bags of rice because he had no money to pay his transport fare.
