The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ikeja, on Thursday, said it has intercepted 1000 bags of poisonous foreign parboiled rice smuggled into the country through Benin Republic.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos on Thursday, the acting Comptroller, FOU, Zone A, Hussein Ejibunu, said the rice was made in India shipped into Benin Republic and smuggled into Nigeria.
According to him, the foreign rice were tested by the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), confirmed that the rice contained lead which he said is poisonous to public health.
He said, “after seizing the smuggled rice, we called NAFDAC to conduct laboratory analysis an it was gathered that the rice named SIMBA consist of lead substances. The substance it consisted is poisonous to the body and dangerous to public health,” he said.
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