ABEOKUTA -Traders Protest After Another Market Invasion, Carting Away Bags of Rice Worth N20 Million By Nigerian Customs Service Amid Commencement of Tariffs Waivers on Food Commodities

By:Israel Adeleke 

As the news of the implementation of waivers on the importation of food commodities into the country breaks on August 15, market Traders in Ogun state have staged a protest after custom officials allegedly invaded Lafenwa market, broke into shops traders at Lafenwa market on Thursday, carting away bags of rice estimated at about N20 million.

The Traders and market women under the umbrella of Ifesowapo Association of Rice Sellers, Lafenwa market took to the streets of Abeokuta to protests what they describe as "an inhumane actions of men of the Nigerian Customs Service who have come to deprive us of livelihood in the midst of pain and struggling of the current hardship economy of Nigeria"

OPEN TELEVISION Naija (OTN) news reports that the traders and market women numbering over about a hundred and led by their Secretary, Aderonke Mofeoluwa were seen with leaves, carrying various protests placards to emphasize their displeasure over the alleged operations of the customs adding that the officials broke into their shops at odd hours of the day on Thursday morning.

The protesters claimed that the Thursday invasion was not the first, recalling that similar raid was conducted by the customs on May 27 and 29, 2024, adding that the bags of rice seized from the operations worth N20 million.

OTN news further reports that the rice traders lamented that they took loan for the business which they said had been collapsed by the operations of the customs officials, crying that they have ran into debt following the development.

Speaking on their painful ordeal, the Secretary 2 of the association, Folake Clement during the protest said many shops were broken midnight of Wednesday into the dawn of Thurday by the Customs officials, adding that the officials are fond of carrying out the operations at odd hours of the day in a gestapo style.

OTN news also reports that the protesters explained that the trade is their only source of living and appealed to the authorities to consider their loss and plights, stressing that majority of them are widows and single parents who manage to train their children through the proceeds of the rice business.

The traders also alleged that the customs made away with 255 bags of rice in the separate operations lamenting that as at the time of their protest they are helpless, hopeless and heavily pained.

"We are market women under the banner of Ifesowapo Association of Rice Sellers, Lafenwa market. Customs at midnight invaded and broke our shops to remove bags of rice worth millions of naira. They are fond of doing this at odd hours of the day", Clement said.

"They had earlier come on May 27 and 29, 2024 and removed 105 bags, again on midnight of Wednesday they invaded and broke our shops and moved away 150 bags of rice. We took loan for this business and we are now in debt. We are begging customs because majority of us are orphans and single mothers, trying to raise our children from this business", she emphasised.

OTN News recalls that earlier in the year, a similar protest was staged by staff members of Iya Twins Jollof Rice Seller based in Grammar School axis of Abeokuta after men of the Nigerian customs raided the Jollof Rice shop of Iya Twins who is into Wholesales of cooked Jollof Rice, carting away bags of riced from her shop.

However, OTN news reports that as at the time of filing this report efforts to reach the Ogun State Command of Nigerian Customs Service (NSC) Public Relations Officer, Oloyode for reaction proved abortive.