Nigeria Navy Beecroft Command have intercepted 44 bags of rice from economic saboteurs operating within Agbara maritime environment.
According to Commodore Kolawole Olumide Oguntunga, the Commander of Nigeria Navy Ship Beecroft Command Apapa, Lagos, the fishing boat transporting the rice was intercepted in Agbara creeks at about 5 AM on October 2023.
Speaking to Media during the handing over of the rice to officials of Nigeria Customs Service at the Beecroft Command, Commodore Oguntunga said: “The surveillance system through the falcon I alignment employed by the Nigeria Navy to ensure peace and tranquillity within the maritime environment was used to detect activities of some economic saboteurs operating within the maritime environment.”
Commodore Oguntunga further explained that the tactics saboteurs are using now is to bring the rice consignment in bits.
He, however, stated that the Nigeria Navy will continue to use technological based facilities to monitor the environment and bring these perpetrators to book.
“We are handing over these bags of rice to the Nigeria Customs Service under operation tripartite border patrol which involves security agencies.
“The Nigeria Navy will continue to be. dedicated to its duties in collaborating with other agencies towards ensuring that the maritime environment is safe and to also enforce laws and policies of the government.
“The government has banned the importation of rice to allow small and medium scale enterprises to grow. This is what we are doing to ensure that SMSE has space to grow. If we allow contraband like this to continue to enter the market, how will our farmers whom the government is assisting with fertilisers, how will they thrive.”
“We will continue to go after these unpatriotic Nigerians to ensure that we don’t allow them to continue to inflict additional hardship on small and medium scale enterprises that are trying to survive in the country.”
Advising Nigerians Oguntunga urged citizens to believe in the security agencies, especially the military and other intelligence. He also assured that the Navy will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the economic prosperity of our dear country thrives for the benefit of Nigerians.
He used the opportunity to warn perpetrators of this act to stop and desist from the act because the Navy will continue to ensure that men are on patrol 24/7 to deter all illicit activities.