Business was paralysed yesterday in Sango Ota, Ogun State, following a protest by traders after the raid of the popular Sango Garage market by Customs operatives.
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) men seized 1,870 bags of rice, which they claimed were smuggled.
The protesters blocked the road leading to Sango, Ota and Ojuore from Old Tollgate. Many commuters were stranded.
The traders said they would not vacate the road, until their wares were returned.
But soldiers, policemen, naval and other security operatives restored normalcy to the area.
The rice, it was learnt, were seized by operatives of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, following a tip-off.
The seized items, it was gathered, were allegedly smuggled into the country by some scrupulous importers who sold them to the traders.
The traders’ leader, Alhaja Wemimo Salako, alleged that the bags of rice were removed by Customs from their warehouse inside the market.
Mrs. Salako said the Customs officers came in the middle of the night and broke into their shops, alleging they stole some money.
“They came in the middle of the night, broke into our shops and left with 15 trucks of rice and five Hilux truck load of rice.
“They broke our safe, stole our money and four of our members have landed in the hospital because of the shock,” she said.
One of the protesters, Mrs Ronke Adejare accused the Customs of dereliction of duty.
“Let us accept that the bags of rice were smuggled but where were these Customs officers when the items were being smuggled into the country?”
Another trader, Mrs. Kudirat Taiwo, said she lost 250 bags of rice and 190 gallons of (25kg) vegetable oil.
“N550,000, which was the proceeds of sale from Tuesday, was taken away by the Customs officials. I want my money back,” she said.
Mrs. Adebisi Fasinu said 170 (25 kg) Kings vegetable oil; 17 kegs of 10 litres and 44 (5 litres) kegs were seized.
The Chairman, Ado/Odo Ota Local Government, Oladele Adeniji, said the matter would be solved by the appropriate authority.
But Customs spokesman Jerry Attah said: “Early yesterday morning, our operatives went to Sango motor park warehouse.
“Unspecified bags of rice were ferried to the front of the warehouse with motorcycles.
“The motorcycles were moving in a convoy. Any attempt to stop them could lead to death and we don’t want any casualty because we are trailing rice.
“So, as professionals our operatives monitored them. When they were done, our operatives swooped and seized them. We didn’t seize them all.
“After physical examination, we counted 1,870 bags of 50kg of different brands of foreign parboiled rice, and 43 kegs 25 litres of foreign vegetable oil.
“As at when they left there, there was no crossfire, there was no casualty. It was a peaceful operation,” he said.
On the stolen money, Attah said: “Miscreants always take advantage of such scenario, it is possible that some people might have used the opportunity to break into the shops and steal their money. For us, no shop was broken or invaded,”