Customs reacts to alleged release of poisoned rice seized from smugglers in Seme 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has reacted to claims that it released poisoned rice allegedly responsible for several deaths in Seme and Badagry communities.

Public Relations Officer of the command, CSC Isah Sulaiman, addressed the reports in a statement issued Sunday in Seme, Lagos, describing the allegations as “unfounded and baseless.”

According to Sulaiman, the command was aware of the circulating narrative suggesting that seized rice had been distributed without the knowledge of the original owner, leading to its contamination.

Earlier in the week, panic had spread among residents in the Seme border region and parts of Badagry following unverified reports that tainted rice—allegedly released by the customs service—had caused fatalities, including that of a soldier.

Community sources had alleged that the rice, confiscated during anti-smuggling operations, was later released into local markets without proper authorization. Some even claimed that the supposed owner placed a curse on the rice, invoking traditional powers said to have caused the deaths.

Sulaiman dismissed the story as lacking any factual basis.
“The Command wishes to categorically state that this narrative is entirely false, misleading and does not reflect the reality of the matter,” he said.

He emphasized that all procedures related to seized goods are carried out in line with established customs protocols.

“The command has always adhered to NCS Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for disposing of seized goods, which is guided by transparency, due process, and strict adherence to extant laws and guidelines.

“It is instructive to say that no incident within the Command’s Area of Responsibility (AoR) or among personnel corroborates the false claims of deaths resulting from rice consumption linked to the NCS,” Sulaiman said.

He further criticized those spreading the story, accusing them of misusing journalistic platforms to disseminate falsehoods.

“We urge the public to disregard this unfounded story and refrain from spreading false information that could incite fear or tarnish the image of the security agencies working tirelessly to safeguard the nation.

“The Seme command, under Dr Ben Oramalugo, remains committed to its mandate of revenue generation, suppressing smuggling, and facilitating legitimate trade professionally in accordance with extant government fiscal policies and laws,” he added.