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One dead, seven injured as customs, smugglers clash in Abeokuta One dead, seven injured as customs, smugglers clash in Abeokuta Share One person has been confirmed dead, on Tuesday afternoon, in a clash between operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and suspected rice smugglers at the Sagamu interchange. It was also gathered that seven others, including three NCS operatives, a military officer and three smugglers were seriously injured. Tribune Online learnt that customs operatives from the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), in Ikeja, Lagos, engaged the smugglers conveying foreign rice from Abeokuta to Sagamu. The attempt by the Customs operatives to intercept the contraband were resisted by the smugglers which led to an exchange of gun duel. ....
Stakeholders in the value chain, including local processors and growers, have expressed dismay over the development, saying it would reverse the gains recorded in the last few years. However, some observers have blamed millers for mopping up paddy rice and processing it in piecemeal, to attract more profit, thereby sabotaging the effort of the federal government in making rice affordable to Nigerians. President Muhammadu Buhari had in December, 2020, directed that the four borders that were closed in 2019 be reopened. Some traders told our correspondents that even while the border closure lasted, the commodity was a common sight in almost every shop. ....