Navy arrests 11 suspects over smuggling in A’Ibom
The Nigerian Navy, Akwa Ibom State, said it has arrested 11 suspects in two operations and seized 483 bags of smuggled rice and two wooden boats from them. Speaking, yesterday, in Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area of the state during the handing over of the suspects and items to the Nigeria Customs Service, the Commanding […]
The Nigerian Navy, Akwa Ibom State, said it has arrested 11 suspects in two operations and seized 483 bags of smuggled rice and two wooden boats from them.
Speaking, yesterday, in Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area of the state during the handing over of the suspects and items to the Nigeria Customs Service, the Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base, Captain Toritseju Vincent, said the efforts of the Navy on the waterways have started yielding results as there is a drastic reduction in the cases of rice smuggling for some months.
Captain Vincent noted that they would continue to fight illegalities until smuggling on the waterways is completely eradicated.
Two of the suspects, a student and an artisan, however, denied involvement in the smuggling, saying that circumstances forced them to be in the boat conveying the smuggled rice that was arrested.
Elisha David, a student and indigene of Ilaje in Ondo State said he left Cameroon to come to Nigeria to process his passport so he would participate in the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) programme upon completion of his studies there.
He said, “I am a victim of circumstance. I was a passenger in one of the boats that was arrested. I do not know anything about the smuggled rice. I came here to pursue my Nigerian passport in Uyo.
“I am a final year student in Higher Institute of Management Technology in Cameroon and the passport is one of the requirements for the NYSC programme. I had started the process and have the receipt of the passport with me. My coming to Nigeria is to check if the passport is ready.”
Another suspect, Ezekiel Omogunle from Gbokoda in Ondo State said he was a fisherman in Cameroon and was returning to Nigeria to get treatment for an illness but was unfortunate to be arrested by the Navy in the boat carrying the smuggled rice.