Customs raid store in Ibadan, seize 9000 bags of rice

The Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said its officers stormed a warehouse in Ibadan and made a seizure of 9000 bags of rice, valued at around N88.7m.

The Controller of the command, Tope Ogunkua, told journalists in Ibadan on Monday that the operation, which he said was recently concluded, was jointly carried out by the anti-smuggling team of the command and Federal Operations Unit in Zone A.

Ogunkua said one person was arrested during the operation.

He said, “A total of 9000 bags of smuggled imported rice with duty paid value of N88,776,000 were impounded and evacuated from a warehouse by the command anti-smuggling team in conjunction with the Federal Operations Unit of Zone A.”

Asked if the command was right to raid a warehouse and seized items found inside, Ogunkua said what the command did was backed by the law and that the option was sometimes avoided in order to minimise casualty in case of resistance by owners of the goods.

He said, “We are bound by the law to carry out our anti-smuggling duty anytime of the day and anywhere within our jurisdiction. Section 147 of the Customs and Excise Management Act of 1990 as reviewed said without prejudice to any other powers conferred by the act, where there is reasonable doubt to suspect that anything liable to forfeiture under the excise laws concealed in any building or place, any officer may without a warrant enter that building or place at any time whether by day or night, and search for, seize, detain or remove such thing.

“Sometimes when we do these things, people naturally resist and there could be shooting leading to the death of innocent people. When we, however, feel it is safe to do so, we use the option. We went to the warehouse in the evening and we were there throughout the night. One person was arrested and now on administrative bail.”

Ogunkua said last year, the command made more than N14.8bn, which represented 76 percent of its target, adding in 2017, the command was expected to make N20.6bn, out of which N1.5bn was realised in January.

 

Protests in Sango as customs, soldiers break into rice market, seize food stuff.

For several hours, human and vehicular traffic along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway was yesterday paralysed as rioting youths and rice sellers in Sango-Ota market protested against alleged invasion of the market by customs officials.

The protest, which led to the blockade of the main road before the bridge at Sango-Ota in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Council of Ogun State, was blamed on the customs officials who invaded the market in the early hours of Wednesday, broke into stalls and forcefully carted away bags of rice into their vehicles.

Angry traders and hoodlums barricaded the ever-busy expressway for more than nine hours. The rampage left many motorists and commuters stranded, while some made efforts to ply alternative routes.

The action got the traders angry and they immediately mobilised en masse to barricade the busy Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, leaving motorists trapped in the ensuing confrontation between policemen and the traders. According to the customs, estimated value of duties payable on the items was N12,445,250.

Eyewitnesses reports claimed about four people were severely injured in the fracas, which saw hundreds of businesses grind to a halt in the area, but the customs insist there was no attack or any casualty recorded during the operation.

The aggrieved traders, who displayed placards containing several abusive inscriptions against the agency, alleged that the officers arrived the market in the early hours of yesterday and forcefully broke into shops and warehouses, carting away about 15 truckloads of rice, including money and personal belongings.

According to an eyewitness, the customs officers came in five Toyota Hilux fully armed and masked soldiers to carry out the operation.

A policeman was injured in the melee that followed the seizure. The unidentified policeman had attempted to remove the barricade in the middle of the road, when the irate youths stoned him repeatedly, resulting in a severe injury.

The injured policeman corked his gun and attempted to shoot at the crowd but he was prevailed upon by a senior police officer. It was gathered that the customs officers, who were accompanied by masked soldiers, shot repeatedly as they broke into over one hundred shops.

Some of the traders accused the customs officers of not only breaking into their shops to cart away bags of rice, but also made away with millions of naira, which were reportedly kept in some of the shops’ safe.

“This is very unfair. The customs came into the market at midnight and broke into our shops. We are not happy, and that is why you see people protesting. We will make sure that we resolve this issue with customs, because the harassment is getting too much,” she said.

Not even the intervention of the Area Commander of Police, Sango Command, Fayoade Adegoke, with heavy presence of policemen, and the pleas of the chairman, Ado Odo/Ota Local Council, Prince Oladele Adeniji, could calm the aggrieved traders, who parked trucks to block the expressway. Commuters were left stranded and forced to trek from Sango to the Tollgate end of the highway before they could get buses to their workplaces.

Spokesperson of the FOU of customs, Jerry Attah, told The Guardian that the officers did not break into the shops, but only packed nearly half of the bags of rice stacked outside in their thousands.

“After physical examination, we counted 1,870 50kg bags of different brands of foreign parboiled rice, and 43 kegs of 25 litres foreign vegetable oil. As at when they left there, there was no crossfire or any casualty. It was a peaceful operation,” he said.

On the stolen monies, Attah said “miscreants always take advantage of such scenario. It is possible that some people might have used the opportunity to break into the shops and steal their money. For us, no shop was broken or invaded.”

 

Source: The Guardian

Nigeria targets seven million tonnes of rice by 2018.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, says the Federal Government is targeting the production of seven million tonnes of rice by 2018.

Briefing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr. Ogbeh said that the target, which would be achieved by the second quarter of 2018, was to meet the national consumption rate.

“I think we have attained the level of being one of the largest producers of rice, even though many people are still in doubt about that.

“So, for those who say it is not true, I think they need to take another look.

“I have been in Vietnam, the same kind of rice plantation you see there is what you see in Nigeria.

“The only thing we need to add is the milling capacity, which we are increasing,’’ he said.

The minister, however, attributed the current hike in price of rice to the increase in the people’s demand for the produce.

Mr. Ogbeh said that the country was feeding more than 193 million citizens as well as 100 million others in West and North Africa.

“Nobody argues the fact that trucks come in from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, Chad, Mali, to Funtua in Katsina to load our grains,” he said.

On rice milling, the minister said that the Federal Government recently advertised no fewer than 100 rice mills for sale and distribution to farmers.

Mr. Ogbeh said that this would assist rice farmers to boost their production, while reducing the price of the produce and boosting the food security of the country.

“Our milling capacity is still not up to speed but we want to improve.

“Some of the mills, which will mainly go to cooperatives, will do 10 tonnes a day, some 20 tonnes, some 50 tonnes and some 100 tonnes.

“The terms of sale and distribution of the mills to communities and farmers will be very generous,” he said.

Mr. Ogbeh said that the states that were currently producing rice included Adamawa, Kebbi, Kano, Ebonyi, Katsina, Jigawa, Taraba, Anambra, Enugu and Benue.

 

Source: NAN

SON confisticates 1,000 bags of underweighed rice in Osogbo

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in Osun says it confiscated more than 1,000 underweighed bags of rice in Osogbo markets on Monday.

Mr Sunday Badewole, the SON State Coordinator, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo on Tuesday.

Badewole said the agency made the confiscation during the enforcement operation where more than 1,000 bags of 5kg, 10kg and 25kg of bags of rice were confiscated.

He said many of the rice sellers had reduced the quantity of rice from the kilogrammes that were indicated on the bags, to make more money.

Badewole said the observation carried out by the enforcement team of the agency in the markets during the raid revealed that rice sellers would remove some measures from the bags of rice and seal it back for sale.

He said the quantities removed would thereafter be repackaged in another bag, sealed and sold to buyers.

Badewole said the rice sellers confessed that they used to buy empty rice bags from Lagos to repackage the quantities that was stolen from the original bags.

“Based on the information from our operations directorate headquarters that under weighed bags of rice were in circulation, we went to the market with our scale.

“But it is very unfortunate that many of these small bags of rice have been reduced by the sellers to make more gain,’’ he said.

Badewole said all the shops where the underweighed rice were found had been sealed and put on hold.

He, however, said the confiscated bags of rice would not be destroyed but rather rectification and would be carried out by the sellers under the supervision of SON’s enforcement unit.

“Since the intention is not to further destroy the economic strength, the option we will probably put forward is rectification and fine.

“That is, we will ensure that all the bags of rice that were underweighed are filled up to the normal kilogrammes under our supervision, before they are put up for sale, because that is what the standard says,’’ he said.

Badewole said any rice sellers that refused to carryout rectification would forfeit all the underweighed rice to SON.

He noted that the exercise was a continuous one, and warned rice sellers against shortchanging people.

“I want to warn rice sellers to always ensure that their bags contain the right quantity of the produce.

“They should stop deceiving people and allow people to have value for their money,’’ he said.

Badewole, who noted that the raids would soon be carried to all the supermarkets in the state, said the organisation would not relent in its efforts at sanitising the system.

 

Source:

SON confisticates 1,000 bags of underweighed rice in Osogbo

EFCC Arrests LG Councilor, Six Others For Diverting IDPs’ Rice

A supervisory councilor with Mafa local government area of Borno State, Umar Ibrahim, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) in Maiduguri over alleged diversion of 300 bags of rice meant for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the area.

 

Ibrahim, who supervises the local government’s agricultural department, was arrested alongside others named Bulama Ali Zangebe and Modu Bulama in a sting operation carried out by officials of the EFCC zonal office in Maiduguri.

 

According to the EFCC, the food was donated to victims of insurgency in the area by Danish Refugee Council (DRC).

 

Mafa local government is among the areas destroyed by Boko Haram in Borno State.

 

According to the EFCC,  the suspects after interrogation disclosed they acted on directives from the Caretaker Chairman of Mafa local government area, Shettima Lawan Maina.

 

The suspects claimed the local government chairman directed them to sell the rice.

 

The rice was reportedly sold to the duo of Alhaji Lawan Ibrahim of Bolori Stores and Umar Salisu at the rate of N8, 500 per bag.

Fayose’s Empty Stomach Infrastructure! – By Tope Michael

As usual Governor Ayo Fayose has condemned President Mohammadu Buhari for the rate of hunger in the land including Ekiti state. Does this guy think at all before blaming President Buhari for the problems that other governors are solving?

Ekiti state was once a proud producer of Igbemo Rice. Incidentally, Igbemo Ekiti is the next town to Fayose’s village, Afao Ekiti. So he should tell Nigerians why his government of stomach infrastructure has failed to revitalize the Igbemo rice factory which was once a pride of the Ekiti people.

 

Has the governor of Ebonyi state not increased rice production to the extent that the state is selling rice to other states right now?  Is the lousy governor of Ekiti state not aware that the government of Governor Akin Ambode of Lagos State decided to partner with Governor Bagudu of Kebbi state for the production of rice? Is Mr. Fayose not aware that the partnership has created opportunities for Lagosians to buy a bag of rice in Lagos at N12,000 while it is sold at N20,000 in Fayose’s  land of empty stomach infrastructure?

 

Incidentally, Mr. Fayose is one of the governors who have been campaigning for true federalism. Can we have true federalism when an agrarian state like Ekiti has to depend on the federal government to feed its people? Simply because  Governor Fayose is bereft of ideas of good governance? In any case,  if Mr. Fayose seriously wants the federal government to feed the Ekiti people let him refund the N2.5 billion traced to him through the ex-minister of defense, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro.

 

From that sum, the federal government can invest N1 billion in agriculture in Ekiti state.

Muslim Woman Donates Rice To Over 50 Christian Widows For Christmas

One Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani had donated some bags of rice and other food stuff to over 50 Christian widows and their families to celebrate the forthcoming Christmas.

Tijjani, a peace ambassador, made the donation to the widows at the Christ Evangelical Church Ministry in Sabon Tasha, Kaduna.

She said it was part of her efforts to strengthen peaceful co-existence among different faith-based organizations in the country and reduce the hardship most widows face.

She said that she was always happy to render assistance to widows and elderly persons with their children at every time.

Tijjani advised others with generous minds to emulate her by helping the poor and other needy persons at a season like this.

The peace ambassador said that Christmas provides an opportunity for Muslims to demonstrate to their Christian neighbours that Islam is a religion of peace and love.

Tijjani also commended Pastor Yohanna Buru, the General Overseer of Christ Evangelical Church Ministry, for always distributing foods and drinks to IDPs, the destitute and inmates during   Ramadan in past years.

He was always serving cooked foods and drinks to widows and orphans during sallah celebration also, Tijjani said.

She said that Buru’s attitude was what impressed her to start rendering assistance to Christian widows as the Yuletide approaches.

Tijjani advised the Federal Government to create institutes of comparative studies which, according to her, can proffer solutions to ethno-religious crises in the country.

According to her, such an institute will also help ethnic groups to better understand themselves, promote religious tolerance and how they can live with one another in peace, she said.

Also, Pastor Yohanna Buru responding on behalf of his church members commended Tijjani for the donation.

He prayed God to reward her abundantly for her kind gesture to the widows in this period.

Credit: dailytrust

Rice smuggling thrives Lagos despite ban

The smuggling of rice through the land borders has continued to thrive in Badagry area of Lagos State in spite of the Federal Government’s ban on the practice.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that markets along Badagry Expressway close to Seme border, are stocked with various varieties of smuggled rice, especially as the Christmas season approaches.

A smuggler, who identified himself as Sunday Egeseme, was seen offloading bags of rice from his car at Alaba Rago Market in Okokomaiko area of Lagos.

He described the business as “lucrative’’.

“We are messengers to the main owners of the goods who are in the Seme border.

“Transporting rice from Seme to customers in various location of the town is a fast moving business with good returns,’’ Mr. Egeseme said.

He, however, declined to say the exact amount it cost to ferry a bag of the commodity.

Mr. Egeseme, a driver, said that the Christmas period was the peak of the business as many families depended more on the consumption of rice.

At Doyin Bus Stop market before Navy Gate Market, Okokomaiko, a trader who could not find space at the Alaba rice market, was seen taking delivery of the product from smugglers.

A driver simply known as Taiwo, who was exchanging banters with his colleagues for a successful trip, said his target was to make a lot of money before the end of the season.

“I run three trips before morning breaks and two in the day time if the road is good.

“The security officers are there but we still find our way unless one is a new person on the route,’’ Mr. Taiwo said.

Celine Ukachi, a rice seller at the Navy Gate Rice Market, said, “we are used to selling the Cotonou rice because it is easy to get than the local ones.

“If we see the local ones, we sell together with the Cotonou one so that everybody who wants anyone can buy,’’ Mrs. Ukachi said.

The trader also claimed she had been in the business for four years.

Nigerian Customs Intercepts Trucks Smuggling Foreign Rice, Cannabis, Petroleum Products

The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone C Owerri has interecepted trucks loaded with smuggled foreign rice, adulterated petroleum products, cannabis among other prohibited items.

Confirming the development at a media briefing, the Customs Area Controller, Mohammed Uba Garba said a trailer truck with registration number GBB 85 XA suspected to be carrying adulterated diesel petroleum product was intercepted by the Nigeria Customs along Aba-Owerri road.

He said: “The exhibit was discovered to have been hidden in a specially constructed tank for illegal bunkering and also concealed with 256 sacks of expired animal feeds to evade arrest.

“The seized adulterated petroleum product causes blockages of heavy duty machines and generators, which equally emit hazardous carbon monoxide, that are detrimental to the health.”

Comptroller Mohammed said that a suspect who gave his name as Chibuzor Njoku was arrested in connection with the crime and would be handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil defense corps for prosecution.

Comptroller Mohammed also disclosed that a 1 X 40” container with marks numbers MRKU 254564 loaded with 1,017 sacks of 50kg cannabis (Indian hemp) estimated at over #16,000,000 was intercepted on the Benin-Shagamu road.

According to him, the only suspect – James idoko who claimed to be a student upon interrogation attempted to deceive the Customs men by fraudulently presenting copies of suspected fake customs processed document on importation which was contrary to what was contained in the container.

The controller added that “the suspect offered a bribe of #350,000.00 in an attempt to avoid arrest. He is currently in custody with the bribe money which now serves as an exhibit along with the container load of cannabis awaiting the estimated value from the relevant agency – NDLEA.”

“The increasing tempo of criminality, violence and juvenile delinquency among the youth is traceable to the rampant consumption of hard drugs such as marijuana hence the clamp down on those involved in the illicit business.

“Consumption of cannabis also affects family relationship and we must fight it to the last so as to have a better society,” he stated.

The Customs Controller who subsequently handed over the seized items and the suspect to the Principal Staff Officer (Operation and Intelligence) of the NDLEA Edo State Command Timothy Adewole for further investigation assured that the NCS would continue to collaborate and work in synergy with sister organizations such as NDLEA, NSCDC, NAFDAC to smoothen its operations.

Furthermore, Comptroller Mohammed said that a MAN diesel truck with registration number KRV 238 XB carrying 725 different brand of 50 kg foreign rice with Duty Paid Value of #24,650,000. 00 suspected to have been smuggled into the country through the numerous creeks in Calabar/Cameroun border was similarly intercepted by his men this month.

He said that a suspect who gave his name as Mr. Fredrick Eze and claimed to be a representative of the owners of the exhibit was arrested.

The Customs Area Controller regretted that the penchant for foreign products by some Nigerians has continued to deal a devastating blow to the nation and her economy while many families have been thrown into agony as a result of the ceaseless unpatriotic activities of smugglers.

He noted that while the nation has continued to lose huge revenue, many lives have been lost consequent upon the unabated practice of smuggling.

He therefore advised Nigerians to imbibe a greater sense of patriotism in line with “the change begins with me” mantra recently launched by Mr. President by eschewing all acts and conducts inimical to the nation.

Ifeoma Onuigbo
Public Relations Officer
Federal Operations Unit
Zone C,  Owerri

Christmas: Lagos to sell bag of rice for N13,000 from December 15

The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it was ready to roll out Lake Rice on December 15 to Lagosians at N13,000 per 50 kg towards the Yuletide celebrations.

The sale will come as succour for millions of Lagosians who like their counterparts in most parts of the country have had to pay over N20,000 for a bag of rice, mostly imported.

Sanni Okanlawan, Special Adviser on Food Security to Governor Akinwumi Ambode, made the disclosure in Lagos during the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) National Agriculture Stakeholders Summit.

Mr. Okanlawan said that sales of the rice would be made at all the 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state to ensure proper distribution.

“Lake Rice is the acronym of both Lagos and Kebbi States joint product which will be out to the public on December 15 at the rate of N13,000 per 50kg bag as it is already subsidised by the government.

“To make it more available, the rice will be sold at the 57 LGAs and LCDAs for easy accessibility and to guard against unwanted persons diverting the product.

“The state government has put in place a committee that will ensure that Lagosians have the best Christmas celebration, that is why we are offering the wholesome and well packaged rice,” Mr. Okanlawan said.

The special adviser also said that the state had established a Department of Agribusiness, an Agriculture Trust Fund and Commodity Exchange Market to be set up soon.

Ogbeh: Ebonyi farmers need help, they’re still harvesting rice by hand

Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture, says rice farmers in Ebonyi state are still in the business of harvesting by hand and with sickle.

Speaking at the ongoing African Economic Conference in Abuja, Ogbeh said government would intensify support for local farmers, and sustain plans by Akinwumi Adesina, former minister of agriculture, to help local farmers via e-Wallet.

“There’s a need to intensify support, and one of the things we are trying to do now is to reform the bank of agriculture; the African Development Bank is already giving support in that line,” he said.

“We’ve got to build that bank to the level where we can lend money at single digit, as down south as possible to single digit as we can.”

Speaking of the rice farmers and the need to support them with simple machinery, Ogbeh narrated an experience he had with them.

“Over the years, we, in the cities, have never really understood what goes on at the farms. We don’t know the stress of a peasant farmer.

“I was in Ebonyi last week, massive rice production; they are harvesting by hand, using sickle. Imagine a hectare of rice, that is a football field being cut by a man and his wife, bending down all day and then beating the rice on a stick to get the seeds of the tusk.

“If that guy has two hectares, he may not finish harvesting till the raining season arrives. So we need harvesters, we need threshers, very simple machines.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) earlier said that Ebonyi rice farmers had outstripped the earmarked production for the year.

Ogbeh assured Nigerians that there would be no famine in Nigeria, emphasising that the federal government has a plan to combat any occurrence of food  shortage.

Rice farmers seek total ban on sale of foreign rice

Rice farmers have urged state governments to follow the footstep of Ebonyi and ban the sale of foreign rice as a means of boosting local production.

Mr Aminu Goronyo, the National President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), made the call in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday.

Goronyo was reacting to the current ban by the Ebonyi State Government on the sale of foreign rice in the state.

He said the ban would encourage local production of rice and impact positively on the economy of the country.

“We are going to Ebonyi State to pay a solidarity visit to the governor for that kind of effort that he made. It is a commendable effort and we urge all the state governors in this country to follow suit.

“I think, it is part of efforts to make Nigerians to eat Nigeria’s homegrown rice. We have available rice that we produce locally,’’ the national president said.

Farmers to make rice affordable by 2017

Rice farmers have assured Nigerians of their readiness to make the price of rice affordable and accessible by 2017.

Mr. Aminu Goronyo, the National President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), gave the assurance in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

He said the association had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with some farm input suppliers in the country to ensure prompt supply of cheap fertilisers and pesticides to boost production.

Goronyo said some individuals and corporate bodies caused the current scarcity and hike in the price of rice in order to sabotage government efforts in agricultural diversification.

“We are going to assist the FG to produce more than enough rice for this country in 2017.

“It is part of the plan that we must bring down the price of rice in this country

“There are several efforts that we are making to see that in no distant time, this price of rice will come down for Nigerians to have access to affordable milled rice,’’ Goronyo assured.

The national president said that the association was also collaborating with both local and foreign companies to assist in the electronic mapping and registration of rice farms across the country.

He said this would help government to plan by having accurate and verifiable available land for rice production in the country.

Goronyo gave the assurance that rice production rate would be doubled in 2017 above the seven million tonnes produced this year.

“We have more than 4.5 million hectares of FADAMA land for rice production and each hectare has the capacity with a very good practice and management to produce five tonnes per hectare minimum.

“So, in one production cycle, we can produce 10 million metric tonnes of paddy rice and our consumption rate in this country is between 6.5 and seven million metric tonnes per annum.

“So if we can produce 10 million metric tonnes in one production cycle and we have three production cycles in a year, it means that we can feed this country and even export this rice that we produce,’’ he said.

The RIFAN president said the association would continue to support the Federal Government agricultural diversification as a way of boosting the economy.

Local Farmers To Make Rice Affordable By 2017

Rice farmers have assured Nigerians of their readiness to make the price of rice affordable and accessible by 2017. Mr Aminu Goronyo, the National President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), gave the assurance in a telephone interview in Abuja on Monday.

He said the association had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with some farm input suppliers in the country to ensure prompt supply of cheap fertilisers and pesticides to boost production.

Goronyo said some individuals and corporate bodies caused the current scarcity and hike in the price of rice in order to sabotage government efforts in agricultural diversification. “We are going to assist the FG to produce more than enough rice for this country in 2017.

“It is part of the plan that we must bring down the price of rice in this country

“There are several efforts that we are making to see that in no distant time, this price of rice will come down for Nigerians to have access to affordable milled rice,’’ Goronyo assured.

The national president said that the association was also collaborating with both local and foreign companies to assist in the electronic mapping and registration of rice farms across the country.

He said this would help government to plan by having accurate and verifiable available land for rice production in the country. Goronyo gave the assurance that rice production rate would be doubled in 2017 above the seven million tonnes produced this year.

“We have more than 4.5 million hectares of FADAMA land for rice production and each hectare has the capacity with a very good practice and management to produce five tonnes per hectare minimum.

“So, in one production cycle, we can produce 10 million metric tonnes of paddy rice and our consumption rate in this country is between 6.5 and seven million metric tonnes per annum.

“So if we can produce 10 million metric tonnes in one production cycle and we have three production cycles in a year, it means that we can feed this country and even export this rice that we produce,’’ he said.

The RIFAN president said the association would continue to support the Federal Government agricultural diversification as a way of boosting the economy.

Credit:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/farmers-to-make-rice-affordable-by-2017/

 

How 6 Labourers Beat Farmer To Death Over 12 Bags Of Rice

Kwara State Police Command, yesterday, said it has arrested six middle-aged rice harvesters, who killed their landlady, who owned a farm, and stole her 11 bags of rice.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusola Amore, told journalists at the police headquarters that the deceased rice farmer, Mrs Florence Ede, had hired the six men to harvest the rice on her farm in Yashikira, Baruten Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner said that Mrs Ede went to the farm with the six labourers, identified as Kofi Kawku, Ali Sabi, Ali Dauda, Gomina Umaru, Abubakar Basira and Ayuba Adamu, and harvested the 11 bags of rice.

The work lasted till night, when Mrs Ede paid the labourers and told them to go, and that she would sleep in the farm and leave the next morning. The six men came back at midnight, beat the woman to death and took away the bags of rice. He said the six suspects have been arrested with the 11 bags of rice, a Golf car used in conveying the bags and the stick with which they killed the woman, adding that they have confessed to committing the crime.

The Police Commissioner also told journalists that three suspected members of Eiye and Aye secret cults, who have been terrorising Ilorin residents have been arrested. The suspects, Ibrahim Imam, Saliisudeen Imam and Saheed Mubaraq, according to him, confessed to have been involved in series of attack that led to many deaths in the state capital.

He added that three live cartridges and charms were recovered from them. Also, yesterday, the Command disclosed that it has set up a committee that will address the clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the state.

The committee, according to the Police Commissioner, comprised the divisional police officers in all 16 local governments, chiefs and farmers.

Credit: Vanguard

Bag of Rice Crashes to N8,000 in Ebonyi State

A 50kg bag of rice is now selling for N8,000 in Ebonyi state, eastern Nigeria.This contrasts markedly with the over N20,000 price tag for imported rice.

The cheering news was reported by spokesman of Central Bank of Nigeria, Isaac Okoroafor  in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state on Tuesday..

Okoroafor is the Acting Director, Corporate Communication, CBN.

He spoke at a sensitization workshop for the CBN Anchor programme for farmers.

“We should eat Nigerian rice provided for by the CBN Anchor Programme;   50 Kg of local rice is now N8, 000 in Ebonyi. Already, the Abia Government has ordered rice from Ebonyi for Christmas,”.

He said that the Anchor Borrowers Programme   for the promotion of Agriculture will make the country  begin exportation of rice by 2017.

According to him, farmers in Kebbi, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Sokoto and Cross River states, among others, have already keyed into the programme, resulting in massive rice cultivation.

He said the country would achieve self-sustenance in rice production if the momentum was sustained, adding that the country should commence exportation of locally produced rice by 2017.

Okorafor said Kebbi State had already harvested one million tons of rice, adding that Ebonyi’s harvest had outstripped the  production target for the year.

“The development is encouraging and by the end of 2017, we will not only meet our national demand which is between six and seven million tons but have surplus to export.

“We must rid ourselves of eating foreign rice that has been stored for over nine years in Thailand, Vietnam and India. Nigerian rice is fresh and healthier.

He further said: “What we have done with this programme so far is to create jobs through farming, especially for the unemployed youths.

Read More:

http://dailytimes.ng/bag-rice-crashes-n8000-ebonyi-state/

Hoodlums strangle widow to death, steal money, bags of rice.

Suspected robbers at the weekend reportedly strangled an Enugu State indigene resident in Kwara State.

 

The victim, a widow, identified as Florence Ede, was a food seller when she came to the community in 1985, but became a commercial farmer after the death of her husband.

 

The incident happened on her farm in Chikanda, a border community in Baruten Local Government Area of the state.

 

Speaking on the incident, a member of the Igbo community in Chikanda, Mr. Mayor Akonobi, said the deceased, popularly known as Mama do good was strangled by the assailants, who had trailed her to the farm.

 

Akonobi told the Punch that the robbers also carted away 12 bags of rice harvested from the victim’s farm.

 

“She had a huge amount of money on her and had wanted to pay the labourers before she was killed,” Akonobi added, noting that the only guard at the farm when the incident occurred ran away when the assailants attacked her.

 

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, said the police had commenced investigation into the death of the mother of four.

 

“The guard and the labourers have been arrested. They are helping us with our investigation,” the PPRO stated.

“Bukola Saraki lied about buying a house from proceeds of rice.” – Witness

Michael Wetkas, a detective of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, said Senate President Bukola Saraki borrowed money to buy a piece of property in Lagos, but that he claimed the money was from the sale of rice and sugar.

Wetkas, while being cross-examined on counts two and three of the 16-count charge of false asset declaration against the senate president at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), said the defendant borrowed the money from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB).

Paul Usoro,  Saraki’s lawyer, examined him.

Acknowledging the charge which read in part: “You (Saraki) falsely declared a property at 17 A and B Ikoyi, Lagos, which you said you bought from the proceeds of rice and sugar whereas it was a loan from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB),” Wetkas insisted that it was? valid.

The EFCC detective said Saraki bought the property in 2006 from a loan of N400m from GTB, but that he allegedly did not declare it in 2011 at the end of his eighth term as governor of Kwara state.

However, Wetkas admitted that Saraki declared the property  in 2007 at the end of his first term as governor.

?Saraki had made several attempts to halt his trial at the CCT, but he failed at every turn.

He maintains that his trial is politically motivated.

The trial was in progress as of the time of filing this report.

Abakaliki Rice Mill set to relocate to new site.

The Abakaliki Rice Mill Limited has finally agreed to relocate from its present site to a new mill as directed by the state government.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the relocation issue pitched the company against the immediate past Ebonyi State Government, which made it seek litigation at the National Industrial Court.

The company withdrew the matter from court and decided to engage in dialogue with the present administration.

The state government has also acquired the United Nations International Development Organisation modern-rice mill located at the new site.

The House of Assembly recently passed a law to back the acquisition but under the condition of relocating to the new mill for optimum efficiency.

Joseph Ununu, the Company’s Chairman, told NAN on Sunday that the decision was taken because of the government’s “humane” approach to the issue.

Ununu said: “The present government’s relocation policy has a humane face unlike the previous one, which had no sincere plans for the relocation.

“The present government dialogued with us and made provisions in addition to creating an environment conducive for our business to thrive.”

According to Ununu, the government allowed the millers to acquire the new mill with powers to manage and make necessary refunds within six years.

He said: “The previous government in contrast ordered us to relocate within one month or face demolition and even failed to provide an operational mill for us.

“The present mill has abundant land for requisite ventures, which made the millers happy and ready to cooperate with the government.”

Ununu noted that the relocation would not be immediate because structures at the new mill are not completed though arrangements are in place for the completion.

He said: “We would relocate as soon as the structures are ready and it is imperative to note that we have commenced operation at the facility.

“We are happier because the government authorised us to retain the present structure, rehabilitate and make it a rice market, where people across the globe would purchase the produce.”

The Rice revolution has started – Emefiele

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has disclosed that rice revolution has started in Nigeria.

The CBN governor also said the apex bank does not have foreign exchange to continue to support importation of farm produce, including rice, wheat, tomato and poultry products anymore.

“We in Central bank do not have foreign exchange to continue to support importation of these items. We need to be able to grow them since our land is fertile; our climate is good to support the growth of these products,” Emefile said while inspecting a CBN supported rice farm under the bank’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme in Ugboro Bekwarra local government area of Cross Rivers state recently.

Reacting to a publication where it was said that it would take Nigeria another five years to achieve its target of self-sufficiency in Rice production, Emefiele said “I’m going to tell him that he has a bad news,” adding that “my selfish interest is because, there is no forest and because reserve is down; we need to be able to grow rice in Nigeria to feed ourselves. Not just rice, Cassava, Wheat, palm oil and even poultry products.”

According to Emefiele, the CBN has disbursed about N3 billion to the Cross River state government, which is meant to support the Anchor Borrowers’ Farmers that are involved in the programme. He promised that the apex bank is ready to assist more states and individuals that are ready to participate in its Anchor Borrowers Borrowers Programme for rice production.

The CBN initiated programme has helped to establish 50 rice farms of 40kilometres each, with a bi-annual production capacity of 4-5 tons per hectare in Cross Rivers since Novembers last year when President Muhammadu Buhari launched the programme.

Speaking during the national assessment tour of the farms in the state, special adviser to the CBN Governor on development finance, Paul Eluhaiwe said 40 integrated rice mills of about 5-metric tons per hour have been acquired to aid rice milling in the state. This was as he said, “we have 36 silos of storage capacity all over the country. We are working on a programme to be able to store up to 100 metric tons of rice that can last the nation for a minimum of six months if there is crisis in this country.”

At least, 2,183 farmers are said to have enrolled for the CBN/federal government intervention scheme in the state.

Delighted by the level of progress recorded in the state in rice farming, Emefiele assured them of the support of the CBN to make the programme grow bigger in the state. “Whatever support you need to make this programme grow from this level, the Central Bank of Nigeria stands ready to give you that support. Yes we are using our Micro Small and Medium Enterprise facilities to support these small farmers, we cease this opportunity to encourage large scale farmers of all farm produce that whetever they do along this line, you will receive our support,” he stated.

In his remark, the state Governor, Senator Ben Ayade told the delegation that “People of Cross River state support your Rice Anchor Borrowers’ programme. We support it fully. We support the dream of Mr. President Buhari who believes that this country should be self-sufficient in rice production.”

Professor Ayade said part of the N3 billion the CBN has given to the state has been set aside to set up “a very wonderful mill – mill that for the first time we have a mill that has a provision for vitamin 9 rice – so that the broken pieces can be vitamin to be given to children to make them grow tall and healthy”, saying that the mill will serve as an off-taker for all the rice that will be harvested.

“Because there had been no mill at all in Cross River state, 80 per cent of the rice that is grown used to be evacuated into Ebonyi state and processed from there and taken as Abakaliki rice; all of that will stop with the intervention of the CBN through this programme,” Ayade enthused, adding: ‘I believe that this farm is the beginning of their dream which President Buhari had conceived well with the support of the CBN Governor. I believe that we are in a right direction and success is our own.”

Kebi State Governor, Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, who is also the chairman, national task force on rice and wheat said the visit was part of the national assessment tour by the presidential committee to determine the level of success so far in the state.

Commissioning Ayade’s 1000 htrs farm, which is located in Obanliku LGA of the state, Governor Bagudu applauded Ayade for leading by example. He expressed satisfaction at the achievements of the CBN Anchor Borrowers’ Programme in the state, saying that his delight was born of “the experimental work that is being done in Cross River state. Ayada is leading by example. This has shown that Cross River is going to give any state in Nigeria a good run.”

The minister for Agriculture, Audu Ogbe, was represented by Alhji Aziz Muyiwa, Director Agric business in the federal ministry of Agriculture and rural development at the event.

Rice Revolution Has Started– Emefiele

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has disclosed that rice revolution has started in Nigeria.

The CBN governor also said the apex bank does not have foreign exchange to continue to support importation of farm produce, including rice, wheat, tomato and poultry products anymore.

“We in Central bank do not have foreign exchange to continue to support importation of these items. We need to be able to grow them since our land is fertile; our climate is good to support the growth of these products,” Emefile said while inspecting a CBN supported rice farm under the bank’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme in Ugboro Bekwarra local government area of Cross Rivers state recently.

Reacting to a publication where it was said that it would take Nigeria another five years to achieve its target of self-sufficiency in Rice production, Emefiele said “I’m going to tell him that he has a bad news,” adding that “my selfish interest is because, there is no forest and because reserve is down; we need to be able to grow rice in Nigeria to feed ourselves. Not just rice, Cassava, Wheat, palm oil and even poultry products.”

According to Emefiele, the CBN has disbursed about N3 billion to the Cross River state government, which is meant to support the Anchor Borrowers’ Farmers that are involved in the programme. He promised that the apex bank is ready to assist more states and individuals that are ready to participate in its Anchor Borrowers Borrowers Programme for rice production.

The CBN initiated programme has helped to establish 50 rice farms of 40kilometres each, with a bi-annual production capacity of 4-5 tons per hectare in Cross Rivers since Novembers last year when President Muhammadu Buhari launched the programme.

Speaking during the national assessment tour of the farms in the state, special adviser to the CBN Governor on development finance, Paul Eluhaiwe  said 40 integrated rice mills of about 5-metric tons per hour have been acquired to aid rice milling in the state. This was as he said, “we have 36 silos of storage capacity all over the country. We are working on a programme to be able to store up to 100 metric tons of rice that can last the nation for a minimum of six months if there is crisis in this country.”

At least, 2,183 farmers are said to have enrolled for the CBN/federal government intervention scheme in the state.

Delighted by the level of progress recorded in the state in rice farming, Emefiele assured them of the support of the CBN to make the programme grow bigger in the state. “Whatever support you need to make this programme grow from this level, the Central Bank of Nigeria stands ready to give you that support. Yes we are using our Micro Small and Medium Enterprise facilities to support these small farmers, we cease this opportunity to encourage large scale farmers of all farm produce that whatever they do along this line, you will receive our support,” he stated.

Read More:

http://leadership.ng/business/558005/rice-revolution-has-started-emefiele

How $3bn Nigeria-Bound Rice Rots Away In Benin Republic

An estimated $3 billion bags of rice destined for the Nigerian markets are stuck in various warehouses in the Benin Republic due to the Federal Government’s refusal to allow importation through land borders and fierce customs anti-smuggling drive.

The annual routine of importing rice into the neighbouring country from July to December to make massive sales in Nigeria during Yuletide period has hit a brick wall this year as Controller-General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali has insisted that his men have tightened the frontiers.

Nigeria shares major border frontiers with the Benin Republic at Seme Border (Lagos), Idiroko (Ogun), Shaki (Oyo),Chikanda (Kwara) and other smaller openings. Prominent among them is Seme where the highest volume of trade and largest smuggling opportunity exist because of its easy access to Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital city.

Seme Border which hitherto was a major transit point for foreign rice importation suddenly became impenetrable for smugglers as almost daily seizures of 50kg bags have taken a good portion of the customs warehouse in the area.

A recent visit to Benin revealed that most of the warehouses where the bagged rice is kept before shipment into Nigeria are now battling for space.

Some consignments of imported rice no longer have storage space at the popular stores and so are exposed to rains, weevils and other unhygienic forms of storage.

Popular warehouses no longer receive rice shipments as thousands of bags earlier delivered to them since July could not be evacuated into Nigeria as planned as was the case in previous years.

Popular Cherika Warehouse in Akpakpa near Cotonou with a capacity to store 25,000 bags is fully loaded with Thailand rice with no hope of evacuating them into Nigeria except government relaxes its policy of rice importation through the border.

Defezi Warehouse close to the Cotonou Port is filled with over 40,000 units of 50kg bags of Indian and Thailand rice. Defezi got occupied earlier due to its proximity to the port but was not evacuated as the owners could not risk entering Nigeria with it.

Cica Warehouse in Missebo area of the Cotonou outskirts that suffered a lack of patronage in the past due to the distance from Seme Border and bad road presently has over 15,000 bags.

Some grains are getting moulded, caked with their bags torn and quantity reduced while endlessly awaiting shipment into Nigeria.

As hope of smuggling them into Nigeria gets slimmer by the day, there is a conscious effort to bring in the commodity without using bags.

The unwholesome method requires pouring grains of rice into various compartments of vehicles like the boots, bonnets, inner parts of the doors, under the seats and other spaces meant for spare tyres and tools.

Sources disclosed that the more the attempt to smuggle hundreds of bags into the country, the more customs in Seme and Idiroko make more seizures.

Unfortunately, some of these grains are no more safe for human consumption and so cannot be donated to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) as was done in the past.

Over 37,000 bags of rice have so far been seized in Seme and Idiroko between January and September 2016 including the 13 vehicles laden with smuggled rice.

From the owners of the rice to the transporters, loaders, landlords and operators of warehouses, there is a general lull as it has been a season of stockpiling without transiting.

They expressed frustration at the government policy but more on what they described as Seme Customs lack of cooperation.

Nigerian Customs had in an October 2016 press statement reiterated government’s ban on rice importation through the borders. The statement signed by Wale Adeniyi, customs spokesman reinforced its resolve to protect government’s attempt to improve local rice capacity.

Part of it reads: ‘’We like to reiterate the position that importation of rice remains banned through our land borders, and we have the commitment to partner government agencies and stakeholders to enforce this restriction. While this restriction is in force, rice imports through the ports are still allowed subject to payment of extant charges.

‘’It is equally important to restate the confidence of the Nigerian Customs Service in the ability of Nigerian rice producers to fill the existing sufficiency gaps in the supply of the product. The service has noted with satisfaction the ongoing rice revolution undertaken by many state governments, and strategic interventions by the Federal Government agencies.’

‘’The service is convinced that the bumper harvests expected from these efforts will address the supply gap in 2017. It is our belief that continuous waste of scarce forex on a commodity that can be produced locally makes no economic sense, most especially during a period of recession. The service will, therefore, advocate a total ban on rice importation into Nigeria with effect from 2017’’

There are loud cries in Benin over what is going on at Seme and other borders. A respondent simply identified as Mr Sewanu said things have taken a turn for the worse as every attempt to bring rice into Nigeria has failed.

‘’You can see we are idle here because rice is not entering Nigeria through Seme Border. We can’t work. Each day we come here , it is in prayer that the customs should cooperate with our bosses so we can have jobs to do to survive.

‘’By this time in previous years, thousands of bags of rice had entered Nigeria from here and more ships had been discharging at the Cotonou Port. But this year is different, nothing is working.

‘’Seme customs have spoiled the business for us.We don’t want to take the risk of transporting rice through any other border because Lagos is the largest market. Once you enter through Seme,you are already in the market.

‘’If this continues, we may die of hunger. Benin customs in Krake cooperates with us but the customs in Nigeria are our only headache. We want the Controller removed. He is making things difficult,’’ Sewanu lamented.

A visit to the border shows smooth running and processing of imports into Nigeria and there are so many activities in the banks. People were seen paying customs duties for items not on Nigeria’s import prohibition list.

While the stockpiling of imported rice continues to increase in Cotonou and neighbouring towns, there may never be a market for them as they face the risk of either being expired or going bad due to poor storage condition.

The Benin Republic with an estimated population of 11 million persons and closest to Togo with a little above 8 million, there appears to be no market for the stocked rice as these countries lack the population and luxury to consume them.

Prices of rice which presently sells for between N11,000 and N13,000 in Cotonou is expected to crash ahead of the Yuletide period as they continually face difficulties in getting them into Nigeria.

Source :

https://www.today.ng/business/198539/3bn-nigeria-bound-rice-rots-benin-republic

FG delivers 5,136 bags of rice to IDPs in Yobe.

The Federal Government has made available 5,136 bags of rice and some other items to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Yobe State.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadija Abba, delivered the items to the state government.

She applauded the resilience of the state government for the unique partnership with security agencies towards ending the Boko Haram insurgency in the region.

The Minister specifically described as “worthy of emulation”, the commitment of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam’s administration to supporting the war against insurgency.

She similarly commended the Deputy Governor, Abubakar Aliyu, who is the Chairman of the Resettlement Committee of IDPs in the state, for implementing all the resettlement policies of the government.

Mr Aliyu, who received the items on Monday on behalf of Governor Gaidam, extolled the Federal Government for remembering the insurgency victims.

According to him, the gesture “will go a long way in addressing food scarcity among the returnees who have not been engaged in any gainful ventures for several years”.

The Deputy Governor also described the action of the Federal Government as “very compassionate that should be emulated by non-governmental organisations and other spirited individuals.

The items received will be shared to some returning communities in Gujba, Damaturu, Gulani, Yunusari, Nguru, Geidam and Karasuwa,” local government areas of Yobe State.

Apart from the bags of rice, other items supplied include: vegetable oil, soap, cloths, foot wears and mosquito coils among several others.

Rice Price’ll Fall By November — FG

The Federal Government on Monday declared that the price of rice would start to fall from November this year.

It stated that more Nigerians had returned to their various farms, adding that at the next harvesting season next month, the price of rice would start to crash.

This came as the government said that the delay in the approval of the 2016 budget had made it impossible to implement the capital expenditure in the agricultural sector.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said this while addressing members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development at the headquarters of the ministry in Abuja.

Ogbeh, who stated that the government could not be involved in the importation of rice as speculated in some quarters, stressed that his ministry would not encourage rice importation because it would be detrimental to local production.

He said the Federal Government was against rice smuggling and noted that the Seme border had become a notorious route for the smuggling of contraband products into the country.

“We will not encourage rice importation and there is no way our ministry or government can be involved in importing rice when we are working hard to be self-sufficient in local production. By November when the full-scale harvest starts, rice prices will fall,” the minister said.

Early last month, the government had warned that the price of rice might hit N40,000 a bag. It is currently being sold around N20,000.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said that the $22bn annual food import bill had led to the astronomical rise in the price of rice and other commodities.

He stressed that if Nigerians failed to produce some of the items being imported before December, the price of rice could skyrocket to N40,000 a bag.

On why the ministry had yet to start implementing its capital budget, Ogbeh said, “It is about now that the capital expenditure is beginning. One of the reasons why money is not circulating is that we need to follow the due process on issues of procurement, advertisement and others.”

According to him, his ministry has spent just N882.58m, representing four per cent of the N21bn budgeted for it in the 2016 Appropriation Act.

He also said, “You may be surprised to know that only six to seven states in Nigeria are showing enthusiasm in agriculture. Some by nature don’t seem interested, while others just can’t connect with whatever we are doing at the federal level.”

Ogbeh further stated that his ministry inherited N67bn debt when the present administration came on board, but added that N20bn had been paid to agro-dealers and distributed 900 million oil palm seedlings to farmers across the country.

Customs seizes 117, 034 bags of rice at borders

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd), has disclosed that a total of 117, 034 (50kg) bags of rice have been seized at the nation’s land borders, at a duty paid value of N774, 282, by the Nigerian Customs Service within the first quarters of 2016.

Speaking yesterday at a joint press conference on illegal rice importation to Nigeria, Ali frowned that the increase in seizure had revealed several ingenious, but devilish ways of smuggling into the country, what Nigerians consume as food.

He pointed out some of the unhygienic ways in which these bags of rice are smuggled into the country.

“We have seen rice conveyed in open wooden canoes across our creeks and water ways with generous amount of dirty water splashing on them.

“We have seen some mixed with other grain bags to deceive Customs. Some are stuffed inside any available crevice and compartments of vehicles, including the engine area. The concealed rice is thereafter re-bagged, half cooked or otherwise and presented in our markets for sale as imported rice,” he said.

Hammed Ali, customs boss says rice smuggled into Nigeria can kill

The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, says 99 per cent of rice smuggled through the land borders is not fit for human consumption.

Recall that Niger government, last week, announced subsidy on rice and other grains to encourage more local production
Ali said this at a joint news conference on illegal rice importation to Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said samples of some of the rice seizures made over a period were referred to NAFDAC to ascertain their condition.

He said the test reports certified that smuggled rice through the borders was unfit for human consumption.

“Importation of rice into the country is not banned but restricted on the point of entry to seaports only.

Ali said that during his recent trip to Benin Republic to engage with colleagues in customs on effective management of the borders, some delegations from groups came giving commitments to pay all charges applicable if customs relaxed the policy on borders.

According to him, there has been a significant increase in seizures in the first three quarter of 2016.

He said 117,034 (50kg) bags of rice seizures had been made at a duty paid value of N774.2 million.

He said customs seizures had revealed several ingenious but devilish ways of smuggling into country what Nigerians consumed as food.

“We have seen rice conveyed in open wooden canoes across our creeks and water ways with generous amount of dirty waters splashing on them.

“We have seen some mixed with other grains bags to deceive customs; some are stuffed inside any available crevice and compartments of vehicles, including the engine area.

“The concealed rice is thereafter re-bagged half cooked and presented in our markets for sale as imported rice.

“Bags of rice meant for Nigerians’ consumption (are) being conveyed in coffins inside make shift ambulance vehicles.

“Often time, importers in the borders have to wait for months for the green light from corrupt customs officials before they gamble their ways across the borders.

“Rice being a perishable product, lose valuable shelve life in non conductive strong conditions.

“We have strong evidence linking some reputable importers to cases of re-bagging expired rice to prolong their shelve life,’’ he added.

He said that promoters of the economic subterfuge were seeking a re-introduction of quota system to import 1.5 million tonnes through the entry point

“We will be waiting for them.”

Ali said that many state governments had injected massive investments in local production of rice.

He added that the Federal Government, through the intervention by CBN and Bank of Industry, was also investing to give momentum to rice revolution.

Ali said Kebbi State Government, in 2016, harvested over 700,000 tonnes from irrigation farming while 800,000 tonnes were projected from rain-fed rice farming with similar projection from other states across the country.

He said that customs was inundated with periodic intelligence about ship loads of parboiled rice that offloaded regularly in the neighbouring port of Cotonou.

Ali added that Benin Republic did not eat parboiled rice, adding that the imports were ultimately destined for Nigeria by smuggling through the land borders

He said that with the support of patriotic Nigerians, “we will not only achieve national self-sufficiency of rice in 2017 but be in pole position to clamp a total ban on its importation in the years ahead”.

House Wife Loses Pot Of Rice To Thieves In Abakaliki

A middle-aged woman identified as Agnes on Sunday in Abakaliki lost the pot of rice she was cooking to thieves. Some pressmen who visited Agnes’ residence behind Nnodo Secondary School, Amike-Aba on Monday report that she was still in shock over the incident.

It took repeated appeals by the correspondent to make Agnes talk, as she maintained that her husband had barred her from speaking further on the issue to avoid negative attention to the family.

“I came back from a village-meeting late on Sunday and put the rice on fire so that my family could have their dinner and eat the remnant on Monday morning. This apartment, as you can see, has no kitchen so we cook in the space in front of the house, likewise other occupants of the building,” she
said.

Agnes said that as she went inside her room to fetch some condiments, she was delayed by the attention she had to give to her crying child.

“I gave attention to my child who was crying and by the time I came out to continue cooking, the pot of rice had vanished, with the stove still enkindled.

“After I recovered from the shock, I started screaming which attracted my husband, family members and neighbours who were all as stupefied as I.

“When it was established that no occupant of the building took the pot, it dawned on us that the act was perpetrated by a thief who exploited the vulnerability of the improvised kitchen,” she said.

The woman declined further comments but her neigbour, Justin Mbam-Egbe, noted that the situation had re-awakened security consciousness among the occupants of the house.

“This is the first theft case we are experiencing and we will henceforth be security conscious to avert future occurrences,” he said.

A private security consultant in Abakaliki, Dr John Odikwa, blamed such incident on the current economic recession in the country.

“The country has degenerated to a level that people now steal pots of rice and soup and with the yuletide approaching, the society should be ready for serious security challenges.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ebonyi police command, Mr George Okafor, described the incident as funny and noted that it had not been reported to the command.

“It is difficult for such incidents to be reported but we assure the citizens of the state of adequate protection of their lives and properties,” he said.

Customs Seizes 25,000 Bags Of Rice

The Nigeria Customs  Service (NCS)  has intensified its war against smugglers with the seizure of  over 25,000 bags of rice, it was learnt.

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, it was gathered, has over 11,000 bags of the seized rice in its store; while its Tin-Can Island counterpart, Apapa,  impounded about 14,000 bags of illegally imported rice from China.

The market value of the item, it was gathered, is between N450 million and N500 million based on the market price of between N18,000 and N20,000 per 50kg bag.

A senior official of the Customs, who asked not to be named, said that over 11,000 bags of rice at the FOU, Ikeja, were seized at various locations within its zone.

The seizure, it was gathered, is in line with the resolve of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali to checkmate smugglers at the ports and border stations.

Investigation around the Lagos ports and borders last week revealed that the Customs has moved against illegal importation of rice, illicit drugs, vegetable oil, textile, used clothes, confectionery, juices, used bags and other prohibited items.

It was gathered that the rate of smuggling of rice and some other goods from Benin Republic into the country through the borders, has reduced based on the directive from the CGC to all the Commands to increase foot patrol along bush paths, as well as raise the level of intelligence gathering by its officers.

Read More:

Customs seizes 25,000 bags of rice

Man Abandons Son For Bag Of Rice In Kano

A middle-aged man, identified as Mallam Yusuf Bala, on Sunday at Singer Market, Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State forfeited his five-year-old son for a bag of rice.

According to an eyewitness account, Bala approached the rice dealer, Alhaji Suleiman Bagudu, to buy a bag of rice, which he carried home but left his son, with a promise to rush home to bring the money for the foodstuff.

This, he said, was because the money on him was not enough to pay for the bag of rice, selling for N14,000 per 50kg bag.

However, six hours after, the said man failed to show up as promised to settle the rice dealer and collect his son.

According to the source, the rice dealer became suspicious, following the Bala’s prolonged absence, a situation that prompted the trader to interrogate the toddler he left behind.

On interrogation, the five-year-old boy innocently led the rice dealer to their home, located at the abattoir area of Koki in Dala Local Government Area of the state.

Despite expressing embarrassment when the rice dealer arrived his home, alongside his child, Bala openly confessed that he was financially handicapped, hence his unbecoming conduct by abandoning his son as a last resort.

Shortly after listening to Bala’s explanation, the rice dealer donated the bag of rice to him and handed over the boy to his father.

Credit: Punch

Nigeria Customs Service Bans Importation Of Rice Through Land Borders

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N1.69 billion in the last two months.
The Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Wale Adeniyi, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to him, this is much lower than the revenue projected.

“We have observed low level of compliance with implementation of importation of rice through the land borders. A number of reasons have been adduced for this but the Comptroller General has also received reports about some kind of allegation of compromise between officers and rice smugglers.

When the restriction on importation of rice through land borders was lifted, there was a high level of implementation.’’
“In the last two months, 24. 9 metric tonnes of rice was imported through the land borders since the reversal of the restriction of importation through the land borders.
“Since the reversal of the restriction started, N1.69 billion revenue has been generated. However, this is much lower than the revenue projected.
“And we got intelligence reports from neighbouring ports that huge consignment of rice was coming into the country.
“Conversely, we are not getting the revenue. Rather the revenue has been dwindling in the last two months’’, Adeniyi said.
He said that there has been an increase in the level of seizures.
“So given all of these, the Comptroller General finds it necessary to review the restriction order and has therefore decided to re-impose the restriction with effect from Tuesday, March 22, 2016’’, he said.
Adeniyi said that rice would therefore no longer be allowed through the land borders.
However, he said “those who have started the process; who have paid for rice across the land borders will have up till Friday, March 25, to clear their rice through the land borders.”
He emphasised that after March 25, there would be a zero tolerance “not even a bag of rice will be allowed to come into the country through the land borders.”

 

(NAN)

RIFAN Targets Production Of 1m Tonnes Of Rice Annually

Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Kebbi says it targets production of one million metric tonnes of rice annually on the platform of Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers Programme.

 

The Chairman of the Association in Kebbi, Alhaji Sahabi Augie, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.

 

He said more than 70,000 farmers nationwide would participate in the programme to achieve the targeted quantity.

 

He also said farmers who cultivated between one and three hectres of rice would be placed in clusters to enable them to benefit from the programme, while others cultivating less than that would be recognised on individual basis.

 

He said inputs worth N210, 000 would be given to each farmer per hectre as loan in the scheme.

“Inputs and equipment such as fertiliser, seedlings, insecticide, chemicals and water pumping machines will be given to each farmer to enable him cultivate one hectre.

“The association will also work closely with officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Agriculture and state officials to ensure success of the programme,’’ he said.

 

Also, Alhaji Abdullahi Argungu, the Chairman, Wheat Farmers Association in the state, said that 10,000 farmers were participating in the programme.

 

He, however, said that the infiltration of bad seeds had affected wheat production in the state.

 

“At the start of the dry season, farmers got unfit seeds; the anomaly will be reversed next dry season farming.

“The number of wheat farmers would also be increased from 10,000 to 20,000 to produce more during the period,’’ he said.

 

 

(NAN)

Nigeria Has Capacity To Produce Enough Rice For West Africa – CARI

Mr Abraham Odoom, Policy Advisor, Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) says Nigeria has the capacity to produce enough rice for consumption in the West African Sub-region.

 

Odoom made the remark at the formal inauguration of the Nigerian Rice Policy Advocacy Platform in Kano, Kano State on Thursday.

 

He said based on empirical evidence on ground, two states in Nigeria could produce the required rice to feed the West African Sub-region without necessarily importing the commodity.

 

“The importation of rice has been taking a heavy toll on the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.

“Nigeria is blessed with abundant arable land and water for massive production of rice,” he said.

 

Odoom said with the appalling slump in oil prices, it would be absolutely necessary for the country to promote the importation of rice.

 

“The issue of unemployment can be effectively tackled if the much needed leverage is secured by indigenous farmers willing to prove their worth on rice production,” Odoom said.

 

He said CARI was ready to conduct its activity on rice production and rice value chain, based on research as a way of creating adequate awareness among farmers.

 

Odoom said that with the required indices taken into cognizance, the future of rice production in the state is bright.

 

Earlier in his remarks, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Nasir Gawuna, said the state government would continue to give special attention to agriculture to boost food production.

 

Gawuna was represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Hajiya Binta Rabiu.

 

The commissioner said the state government had recently given Rice Farmers Association in the state N1billion soft loan to enhance rice production.

 

 

(NAN)

This Is What Happens When You Eat Fish/ Meat Before Rice

This information will interest people living with diabetes. The next time you are served a plate of rice, it is advisable to eat the fish or meat before the rice. Japanese researchers say they have established that eating fish and meat before rice can help control blood sugar in people with diabetes because it slows down the stomach.

Now whether or not you agree with this finding, researchers at the Kansai Electric Power Medical Research Institute are convinced that dietary therapy focusing on the sequence of food intakes may lead to diabetes prevention and treatment.

In a three-day research project involving 12 patients with type 2 diabetes and 10 healthy people, the group monitored changes in blood sugar levels four hours after the subjects had meals in which rice was consumed either first or last.

When boiled mackerel and grilled beef were eaten 15 minutes before rice, their sugar levels were about 30 percent and 40 percent lower, respectively, compared with when they ate rice first.

From their findings, eating fish and beef first promoted the secretion of incretin, a gastrointestinal hormone, which slowed stomach motility and thus the rise in blood sugar. Several other studies note that vegetarian and vegan (no meat, fish, eggs, dairy, or honey) diets help prevent, control, and even reverse diabetes.

It is expected that this technique may become even more effective if vegetables are eaten ahead of fish, meat and rice.

Ordinarily,  fish just happens to bring the added benefit of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids but previous studies say fish intake may increase type 2 diabetes risk by increasing blood sugar levels. However, diabetics are known to gain control of their blood sugar levels by following approved dietary guidelines and  recommendations.

As a rule, moderate consumption of all food items including meat and fish is key.  The recommendation is to check blood sugar as directed by the healthcare provider

Credit: Vanguard

Crisis Rocks Edo PDP Over Alleged Diversion Of Rice

Crisis is rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, following allegations that one of its governorship aspirants (names withheld) diverted rice meant to be distributed to members of the party prior to the presidential election, which was brought to the state by the campaign organisation of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

 
The crisis erupted after members of the party observed that the governorship aspirant was sharing the rice to his supporters as Christmas gift after he allegedly super-imposed his picture on that of former President Jonathan on the bags of rice.

Kashamu
A chieftain of PDP in the state, Mr Okharedia Ihimekpen, described the discovery as shocking and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the ongoing probe to funds expended during the former President Jonathan’s campaign to Edo State.

 
He said, “It was shocking when we saw that the bags of rice were actually meant to be distributed during the presidential campaign but this aspirant confiscated them. I want to appeal to the Federal Government to extend the Dasukigate probe to Edo State and if this aspirant is indicted he should be prosecuted and disqualified from the governorship race.

 
“We call on all Edo people to distance themselves from elements like this because if they are allowed again into the corridors of power, Edo State will be for sale. Such people should be made to return all the rice and money they collected on behalf of Edo PDP members which they pocketed. We expect PDP to disqualify him because in a decent society, people like that should be charged to court after they are banned from contesting for political positions.

 
“The PDP should rediscover themselves before talking about election so that we don’t run into another era of holocaust,” he stated.

 

 

Credit : Vanguard

Rice Importers Owe FG N44bn – Senate

The Senate ad-hoc Committee on Import Duty Waivers, on Monday accused two foreign companies, Messrs Stallion Group and Olam  International, which were  involved in rice importation into the country, of owing Nigeria N44bn as import duties on 457,000  metric tonnes they imported since May 2014.

The panel stated this when the representatives of the two firms appeared before it to answer their connection with  the flagrant abuse of rice waivers’ policy in the country.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Adamu Aliero, demanded full payment of the money owed by the foreign firms, insisting that “Nigeria would not fold its hands and watch the huge debt swept under the carpet.”

He said, “There is no way the government will ignore this kind of money. We have to ensure that that this money is collected and deposited into the federation account”

Aliero further claimed that the companies imported rice into the country without paying waivers, off-loaded it into their warehouses and refused to pay required duties when asked by the Nigeria Customs Service.

He noted with concern that,  while  the Nigeria Customs Service confronted  Stallion Group with  payment demand notices, the firm opted to drag NCS to court.

He also accused the company of exceeding the quota given to it to import 157,000 metric tonnes of rice with impunity by importing 457,000 metric tonnes in excess of its required quota.

But while defending the action of his firm, the Executive Director of Stallion Group, Harpreet Singh, claimed that their mission in Nigeria was to ensure that the country was self-sufficient in rice production.

He also said the firm had planned that the nation is saved from the global scarcity of the commodity.

He also claimed that Nigerian borders were porous and that former President Goodluck Jonathan granted the approval on fiscal policy on rice production on May 26, 2014.

According to him, the Ministry of Agriculture opted to flout the tenets of the policy by giving quotas to “non-existing millers and investors who have no connection with the policy while existing investors were left blind.”

He claimed further that the Stallion Group’s investments in Nigeria were not giving jobs to foreigners but to Nigerians.

He said that his company had lost millions of naira to activities of smugglers as a result of porous borders.

Olam, through his  spokesperson,   Ade Adefeko, claimed that it had the largest rice farm in Africa and that it has been operating in Nigeria in the past 35 years.

He argued that given its long period of business operation in Nigeria, the company would not consider short-changing the nation.

According to the Olam’s representative,  the company was seeking a legal opinion on the matter, saying whatever counsel it is given, it would be duly followed.

Rice Scam: China Now Produces And Sells Plastic Rice

A woman recently reported that she had unwittingly purchased small pieces of rolled up paper sold to her as rice on the streets of China.

Ms Cai, from the Guangdong province, a coastal region of south-east China, claims she was eating lunch with her family when she bit into a tightly rolled piece of paper that was disguised in a bowl of cooked rice.

‘The rice we ate felt no different than usual, until half way through the meal I chewed onto an unusually hard piece of rice,’ she told Chinese newsmen.

According to Daily Mail, quoting the Chinese media, Ms Cai reportedly pulled the grain out of her mouth and was shocked when it unrolled into a small piece of paper.
The paper appears to have been twisted at the ends to take the shape of a grain of rice.
According to reports, Ms Cai bought the rice from a street vendor who had assured her the rice was grown naturally, without any pesticides.
.

Cai told local police she bought the rice from a street hawker who promised they were grown in the countryside in a “very environmentally friendly” way “without any pesticides.”

Hong Kong Free Press reports that the woman and her family had been buying rice from the same hawker since the beginning of this year.

HKFP adds that the seller is unlikely to get caught because street hawkers are very mobile and Cai did not get a receipt when buying the rice, Shantou Metropolis Daily said.

The fake rice phenomenon has been in China for a while. Some of the reports indicate that the fake rice is sometimes made from a mixture of plastic and potatoes.

See What Dangote Is Promising All Nigerians By 2019

Aliko Dangote, the Chairman of Dangote Group, on Monday said Nigeria would be self-sufficient in rice, sugar and other commodities by 2019.

Dangote said this in Abuja at a meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, Nigerian businessmen and some philanthropists. The billionaire businessman, who was speaking against the backdrop of his investment in the economy in the nation, added that Nigeria would soon become the largest exporter of petroleum products and fertiliser.

He said he would not want to be known as the richest man alone, but would also lend his voice and other capacity to better the lots of Nigerians; and commended the steps being taken by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in addressing the challenge of corruption facing the nation.

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