Navy intercepts 16 boats loaded with over 1,000 bags of rice in Badagry
Badagry (Lagos State), Feb.9, 2025 (NAN) The Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Nigerian Navy in Badagry, Lagos, on Saturday intercepted 16 fibre boats loaded with over 1,000 bags of foreign parboiled rice in two riverine communities in Badagry.
A reliable source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry that the smugglers were about to load the foreign parboiled rice into their awaiting vehicles when the Navy operatives descended on them.
According to the source who is a resident of Yafin community in Badagry, the smugglers came with boats loaded with rice in the morning around 7.30.a.m.
“They brought their boats to two riverine communities, Isalu and Yafin, within 15 minutes their vehicles started arriving at the scene.
“As they were about to start offloading the boats men of Forward Operating Base (FOB) of Nigerian Navy operatives descended on them.
“Some of the smugglers jumped into the water while some ran into hiding while drivers in the awaiting vehicles quickly drove in a commando manner to avoid being arrested.
“The Navy rearranged the rice inside the boats and took them to their base, no shooting, no attack, everything was in order,” he said.
In another development, Nigerian Navy arrested 3,375 litres of petroleum products at a filing station in Ajara, and Bolitine Badagry.
According to the source, the Navy operatives on Saturday, Feb.1, made the arrest at a fuel station when they were about to siphoned the product across to Republic of Benin.
“The perpetrators fled on sighting the Navy operatives,” the source said.
The source said that NN also intercepted a speedboat carrying nine suspected victims of human trafficking on their ways to Port Novo in Republic of Benin.
He said that the interception was made on Feb. 25, at about 2.30.p.m by the operatives along Badagry/ Port Novo creek.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that since the new Commanding Officer Capt Leye Omotayo assumed Command of FOB BADAGRY, operations along the waterways have taken a new dimension with a twenty-four hour patrol.
NAN also reports more synergy and collaboration is currently witnessed between the Nigerian Navy and other law enforcement agencies including the the host community in their collective efforts at tackling smuggling activities along Badagry – Porto Novo creek and adjoining land spaces. (NAN)