•Protesting rice sellers
A group of rice sellers, under the auspices of Ifesowapo Association of Rice Sellers, Lafenwa Market, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, today, staged a peaceful protest over the alleged invasion of their shops by Customs officials, where bags of rice, worth several millions of Naira were carted away.
The traders, marched through major streets in Abeokuta, carrying leaves and placards with inscriptions to express their grievance, reports Vanguard.
The protesters led by the association Secretary 1, Aderonke Mofeoluwa, alleged that Customs operatives broke into their shops at midnight yesterday.
They lamented that the invasion was not the first, recalling that a similar raid was conducted by Customs on May 27 and 29, 2024, during which bags of rice worth N20 million were seized.
The traders lamented that they rely on loans for their business, which they claimed had failed, leaning them in debt due to the actions of the Customs officers.
The demonstrators who are mostly widows and single parents pleaded with the Customs authorities to take into consideration their loss and plights.
Also speaking, Mrs. Folake Clement, the association’s Secretary 2, alleged that the Customs officers made away with 255 bags of rice in the separate operations, adding that at the time of their protest, they were helpless.
“We are market women under the banner of Ifesowapo Association of Rice Sellers, Lafenwa Market. Customs at midnight invaded and broke our shops to remove bags of rice worth millions of naira. They are fond of doing this at odd hours of the day.
“They had earlier come on May 27 and 29, 2024 and removed 105 bags. Again on midnight of Wednesday they invaded and broke our shops and moved away 150 bags of rice.
“We took loan for this business and we are now in debt. We are begging Customs because majority of us are orphans and single mothers, trying to raise our children from this business,” she cried.
Reacting the Customs Comptroller General, Bashir Adeniyi, noted that smuggled items remain contraband irrespective of where they are taken to.
The Customs chief assured that an engagement with the Comptroller Federal Operations will be held to discuss civil ways operation can be carried out without causing problems for the public or the government.
Adeniyi said, “I will be engaging the Comptroller Federal Operations on the issues of anti-smuggling operations in the market. It’s a no no for me and I will not tolerate and allow us to get into the market.
“But let me stress here that smuggled items are still smuggled items anywhere they are. If we are able to get them into the market it does not change their status they still remain smuggled items.
“But there could be a more civil way in which we would control these things in such a way that it will not create this kind of problems and unnecessary problems for the state government.”
