There are claims that there is deadly rice in circulation, which has caused tension in several areas of Ogun and Lagos states.
Parents and relatives send voice messages to their loved ones, warning them against buying or consuming rice at this time since a foreign trader had summoned the spirit of Ogun deity after her two trucks of rice were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria.
According to the speakers in a number of voice notes forwarded, two trucks of rice were smuggled into Nigeria via the borders of Idiroko and Seme after being stolen from a bordering nation.
It was stated that the woman who owned the bags of rice called some Ogun worshippers in Ghana in order to curse anyone who purchases or eats the purportedly stolen rice.
There were rumours in a voice message that a soldier and several Customs officers had passed on in Badagry, Lagos State.
Additionally, another WhatsApp sender claimed that more than 70 persons had passed away in the past few days as a result of purchasing or eating the aforementioned rice.
Imported rice from the Benin Republic remains one of the most consumed staples in Nigeria, especially by children and the youth.
As the warnings continue to reach residents of Ogun and Lagos, they emphasise to their loved ones that rice should not be purchased or consumed at this time.
A resident in the Ipokia Local Government of Ogun State, Morayo, on Wednesday said that some parents went to schools, telling the food vendors not to sell rice to their children.
As some people attempted to refute the report, further voice notes purporting to corroborate the deaths surfaced from various sources.
Many are now unsure about whether or not to purchase rice as a result of this.
The Nigerian Customs Service in Ogun and Lagos, however, refuted the allegations, stating that there was no deadly rice in circulation.
In a statement by the NCS, Seme Area Command, Public Relations Officer, Isah Sulaiman, said the narrative was entirely false, misleading, and did not reflect the reality of the matter.
“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,” the statement said.
It disclosed 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.”
