The Seme Area Command, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has condemned a widely circulated allegation claiming that the Command seized and distributed bags of rice without the knowledge of the purported owner, who then allegedly invoked traditional powers leading to the death of individuals, including a soldier at Badagry.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Isah Sulaiman who disclosed this in a press statement said the Command has always followed due process in the disposal of seized items.He reiterated that no incident of seized rice consumption leading to death occurred within the Command .
Sulaiman stated that the Command is dedicated to carrying out its services in accordance with extant government fiscal policies and laws.
The statement reads ,”The Command wishes to categorically state that this narrative is entirely false, misleading, and does not reflect the reality of the matter. 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. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous elements wearing the garment of journalism (a credible profession) to disinform members of the public with baseless, fictitious and malicious accusations to score cheap points instead of the social responsibility they are supposed to uphold.
“Consequently, we urge the general 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 Area Command, under the leadership of Comptroller Ben Oramalugo, remains committed to its mandate of revenue generation, suppressing smuggling, and facilitating legitimate trade professionally and responsibly in accordance with extant government fiscal policies and laws.”
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