From Uche Usim, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have cleared the air on reports indicating that plastic rice has flooded Nigerian markets.

The NCS had hurriedly described the seizure it made recently via its anti-smuggling operatives of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Lagos, as plastic rice, but, when it was subjected to laboratory scrutiny by Health Ministry officials, it proved otherwise.

However, the social media had already been awash with the news that plastic rice had finally landed in the country.

A statement from the Customs from a joint press briefing held yesterday in Abuja quoted the Comptroller-General of NCS, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), as saying that the consignment recently seized by his officers did not have manufacturer’s address, NAFDAC number, batch number, expiry and production dates and other vital information consumables ought to have.

This, he said, made the consignment highly suspicious, especially having been informed through intelligence gathered by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) that die-hard smugglers were planning massive shipment of plastic and poisonous rice from Asia to African nations.

“As required by the law, officials of NAFDAC were invited to draw samples for laboratory analysis. However, as we know how social media works in our clime, the outcome we are about to hear today was pre-empted”, Ali said in the statement.

He noted that irrespective of the outcome of the laboratory analysis, the Service will remain vigilant and alive to its responsibilities,” he said.

In her remarks at the briefing, the Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, said her office swung into action when it learnt that plastic rice was in circulation and a consignment had been seized by the NCS.

“Following the report of the seizure of the “suspected fake rice”, by men of Nigeria Customs Service, the agency swung into action by sending a team of inspectors to the office of the Customs Area Comptroller, Federal Operations, Ikeja, Lagos to draw samples from the seized consignment for laboratory analysis.

“The product, branded as “Best Tomato” was in 25kg pack size, without NAFDAC number, no batch number, no date markings and no details of the manufacturer. The preliminary result of the analysis was conveyed to the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac F. Adewole and was made public on December 22, 2016 whilst awaiting the comprehensive result.

“I hereby on this day, December 29, 2016, present the laboratory report.  Packaging does not conform to NAFDAC pre-packaging food labeling regulations of 2005.

“Based on the above Laboratory result, the product is not plastic but rice contaminated with microorganisms above permissible limit, hence the seized rice consignment is unsatisfactory and therefore unwholesome for human consumption”, Oni said: