Rumour of killer rice in circulation in Lagos and Ogun States circulated widely on Wednesday, with the purveyors claiming that the situation arose from the distribution of the seized product by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
But the NCS described the situation as ‘unfounded and baseless’.
WhatsApp and other social networks’ users shared the voice notes which warned others against buying or consuming rice at this time because a foreign trader had invoked the spirit of Ogun deity after her two trucks of rice were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria.
In the voice notes, the speakers claimed the consignments of rice were stolen from a neighbouring country and smuggled into Nigeria through the Idiroko and the Seme borders.
The voice notes stated that the woman, who owns the bags of rice, contacted some Ogun worshipers in Ghana to lay curses on whoever buys or consumes the alleged stolen rice.
The messages claimed that some Customs officers and a soldier had died in Badagry, Lagos State, while another sender said that over 70 persons had died in the past few days after buying or consuming the said rice.
Imported rice from the Benin Republic remains one of the most consumed staples in Nigeria, especially by children and the youths.
A resident in the Ipokia Local Government of Ogun State, Morayo, told The PUNCH on Wednesday that some parents went to schools, telling the food vendors not to sell rice to their children.
As some individuals tried to debunk the rumour, more voice notes came from different people, claiming their alleged confirmation of the deaths.
This has left many confused as to whether to buy rice or not.
However, the NCS in Lagos and Ogun debunked the claims, saying there was no deadly rice in circulation.
In a statement by the Public Relations Officer of its Seme Area Command, Chief Superintendent Isah Sulaiman said that the narrative was entirely false, misleading, and did not reflect the reality of the matter.
He said: ‘The attention of the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area command, has been drawn to a widely circulated unfounded and baseless 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 command wishes to categorically state that this narrative is entirely false, misleading, and does not reflect the reality of the matter’.
Sulaiman said that the command had always adhered to NCS Standard Operating Procedures 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 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’, the command added.
The NCS urged 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’.
