The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the seizure of nine trucks filled with smuggled rice in Ogun State.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Monday, the Comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, Kola Oladeji, shared details of the operation.

Oladeji explained that customs officers from FOU Zone A stopped the smugglers from moving the rice into Nigeria from the Republic of Benin.

He added that the smugglers abandoned their trucks and ran when they saw the customs operatives.

The comptroller said the command had to use six additional buses and 11 patrol vehicles to transport the confiscated rice to the customs warehouse.

“Our officers avoided shooting at the smugglers as part of our strategy. Instead, they hired trucks and used patrol vehicles to move the seized items,” Oladeji stated.

He also shared a breakdown of the vehicles used in the operation: nine trucks, six buses, and 11 patrol vehicles belonging to the Nigeria Customs Service.