Nigerian journalist raises alarm on contaminated rice following raid in Akwa Ibom State

A Nigerian journalist, Idongesit Ikono has raised an alarm on the state of imported things Nigerians buy from shops in different states especially Akwa Ibom State.

According to the Nigerian journalist, a raid in Akwa Ibom State revealed that some rice dealers ‘buy contaminated rice, wash them, dry in the sun and rebag them’ for sale. His post reads;

BEWARE OF THE RICE YOU BUY

Consumer Protection Council, CPC, raided some rice shops at Nyong Essien street and a very popular rice shop on IBB Way all in Uyo. These shops get imported and contaminated rice, wash them and dry in the sun and rebag them for you and I to buy and consume.

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Any Mama Gold, Cap Rice, Stallion rice you find in the market or shops are contaminated, washed, re-bagged and dangerous to your health. Don’t buy them anymore because, according to CPC, importation of those brands stopped since 2015.

Recall that few months ago, the Area Controller of the Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Udo-Aka Emmanuel, alleged that rice smugglers repackage contaminated rice from the Republic of Benin with the aim of supplying them to the Nigerian market.

Emmanuel spoke while showing journalists a truck and two buses loaded with contaminated rice, which were impounded along Iseyin-Oyo Road.  The Area Controller said that 853 bags of rice were found in the three vehicles, adding that apart from the rice, 395 (25 litres) kegs of imported vegetable oil were also seized from smugglers at different locations.

He said the seized bags of rice had passed their shelf lives, having been stored in various warehouses at the Republic of Benin for so long after the owners found it difficult to smuggle them to Nigeria. He said that to make the rice attractive to buyers, the bags were changed to reflect new expiry dates.