Smugglers Hold Special Prayers Against Customs Service
Rice
smugglers in Katsina State during last Friday, held special prayers to
seek divine intervention against the Customs Service for stopping them
from bringing in the product.
Comptroller
of Federal Operation Unit of Customs in zone B, Mr. Amade Abdul, who
disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Kaduna yesterday, said report
reaching them indicates that the smugglers during the prayers asked God
to intervene on the ban of the commodity.
“Reports
had it that they organised prayers during Juma’at prayers that God
should touch the minds of Customs officials who are trying to stop food
from entering their town.
"No, we are
not their enemies and we are not trying to stop food from entering
their area. We are only implementing government policies on the illegal
smuggling of rice. This is in the interest of all of us because it will
allow farmers in our country to do well,” he said.
He
urged clerics and traditional rulers in the areas to educate their
people with their sermons and preaching and not to mislead them.
“The
prayers showed they are ignorant of government policies, especially as
its concerns rice importation. There is a laid down procedure for anyone
willing to import rice into the country. If you follow the procedures,
nobody will challenge you,” he added.
He
lamented that rice smugglers have now resorted to the use of
motorcycles to ferry their commodity into the country through border
towns in Katsina.
“Motorcycles
operators are now trooping from Yobe, Borno and all other parts of the
North to Katsina State to join in the business of rice smuggling. This
is not good because we don’t know the kind of persons that are riding
the bikes, aside from the fact that their activities is against the ban
of rice”, he said.
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