The Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT), Sector 2 South-West, Lagos, said it intercepted 415 bags of 50kg rice loaded inside two boats smuggled into the country on Badagry waterways.

JBPT comprises officers of Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs and DSS, coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Mr Nurudeen Hassan, the Controller, JBPT, Zone 2, confirmed this during a press briefing at Gbaji Check point along Seme Expressway on Saturday.

According to Hassan, the operation took play at about 4:10 a.m. at Gbaji, Badagry, by the JBPT operating in the axis.

“On Sept. 10, at about 4:10 a.m. at Gbaji waterways in Badagry, Lagos, the JBPT led by CSC Dinya Sabo, acted on credible intelligence provided by the service.

“The JBPT intercepted two wooden boats loaded with 415 bags of foreign parboiled rice suspected to be snuggled into the country from Benin Republic,” he said.

Hassan said the intercepted rice would be taken to government warehouse at Seme.

He commended the officers of the team for carrying out the successful operation.

Hassan urged the smugglers to desist from sabotaging the economy by smuggling contrabands into the country.

Speaking on the mode of operations, Sambo said his team got information from informants at the point of take off in Benin Republic.

“We intercepted them in the middle of the river and arrested the boatman and others but when we got to Gbaji under bridge, they jumped inside the river and escaped,” he said.

415 bags of rice were taken to Customs warehouse in Seme where seized items are kept.