Customs describes Oyo’s bad rice claim as mischievous falsehood, as CCG says Gov Makinde loses everything for playing “bad politics” with good governance by President Buhari

*You have your allocations, go and take care of your people, Makinde told

By Kemi Kasumu

“The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller, HU Ngozi led them to the warehouses where they inspected the bags of rice, checked expiration dates and expressed satisfaction and readiness to evacuate their allocation. Before leaving the command on their second visit, they pleaded to be given those from a section of one of the warehouses they considered “fresher” and this was granted,” Customs said about Oyo State Government claim.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/Osun Command has finally reacted to claims by Oyo State Government that the rice released to it as palliative for the poor in the state to cushion the effect of coronavirus lockdown is not safe for human consumption, describing the claim as mischievous and deliberate falsehood.

It said following instructions of the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), it swung into action on the 20th of April 2020 in the presence of high ranking members of the Oyo State Government namely the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Jacob Ojekunle; the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Saidat Bolatumi Oloko and Executive Adviser to the Governor on Agribusiness, Mr Debo Akande and handed over the grains to them.

Others present were the representative of Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in Oyo, Mrs MO Lasisi and other members.

He said they visited the command twice on the same day to inspect the bags of rice that were available for allocation and all certified the grains safe for consumption.

The statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman, Abdullahi-Lagos Abiola, condemned the calculated attempt to discredit the effort of government, acted for by the service, with some pictures of bad rice being circulated in the social media.

“We disassociate ourselves from such false images and we suspect foul play on the part of the handlers of these allocated 1,800 bags of rice.”

The statement read:

“The attention of the Oyo/Osun Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has been drawn to some mischievous and deliberate falsehood being circulated in the media for reasons best known to their author(s) concerning the Federal Government’s palliative given to Oyo State among other states.

“As a responsible agency of Government whose functions include ensuring that nothing that could compromise the security, economy and general being of Nigerians are allowed into the Country, we cannot turn round and be associated with giving anything that will negatively affect our people. We therefore wish to state as follows:

“That in line with the Federal Government’s effort to cushion the hardship in the nation, the CGC had directed the distribution of relief items including bags of rice across the nation through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management as palliative to the vulnerable in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

“As instructed, on the 20th of April 2020, the Oyo/Osun Area Command received high ranking members of the Oyo State Government in the persons of the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Jacob Ojekunle; the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Saidat Bolatumi Oloko; Executive Adviser to the Governor on Agribusiness, Mr Debo Akande; The representative of Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and Social Development in Oyo, Mrs MO Lasisi and other members.

“They visited the command twice on the same day to inspect the bags of rice that were available for allocation. The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller, HU Ngozi led them to the warehouses where they inspected the bags of rice, checked expiration dates and expressed satisfaction and readiness to evacuate their allocation.

“Before leaving the command on their second visit, they pleaded to be given those from a section of one of the warehouses they considered “fresher” and this was granted.

“Subsequently, on the 21st of April 2020, the Oyo State Government team came with their vehicles under the supervision of Mr Jacob Ojekunle, Mrs Saidat Oloko, Mrs MO Lasisi and other top officials, in the presence of the Customs Area Controller, other officers and members of the press to witness the loading and exiting of the 1800 bags of parboiled rice allocated to their State as palliative to the vulnerable.

“Incidentally, in the process of loading, few bags fell at different times and burst open in the presence of Mr Ojekunle and Mrs Lasisi and there was no time that any of the burst bags of rice had weevils in them. The warehouse had no signs of weevils, neither were there signs of weevils on the loaders or on the trucks under the scorching sun.

“The three (3) states; Oyo, Osun and Ekiti States took delivery of the bags of rice allocated to them, returned their landing certificates to show delivery to its final destinations. They also showed appreciation to the CGC for his magnanimity. Contrary to allegations by Oyo State Government, Osun and Ekiti States have not complained about their allocations.

“The Command is therefore surprised, even embarrassed to hear three (3) days later, that the rice allocated to them were infested with weevils and unfit for human consumption.

“The command wishes to reiterate that weevils do not hide and in the process of loading the vehicles, traces of weevils would have been noticed on the floor, on the bags, on the loaders or on the trucks bearing in mind that the entire process was in the presence of the CAC, Oyo State Government’s high ranking team and men of the press with full video camera coverage.

“The Command is also aware that for whatever reason, some pictures of bad rice have been circulating the social media. We disassociate ourselves from such false images and we suspect foul play on the part of the handlers of these allocated 1,800 bags of rice. The State Government may wish to dig deeper.

“It is surprising how bags of rice that exited the Command HQ in good condition suddenly became so bad after 3 days as being circulated in the social media.”

Makinde, PDP have lost everything

In the meantime, the Concerned Citizens Group (CCG) in the country, at the weekend slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its government in Oyo State for what it called deliberate mischief against good governance offered by Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government done to cushion the hardship of Nigerians of the state at coronavirus lockdown..

Speaking, Mr. Wale Ogunyemi, who spoke for the group, believes that such attitude politicising the globally ravaging pandemic by the Seyi Makinde administration is not only anti-commonsense but a deliberate attempt to rubbish the very dignity and confidence reposed in him by the “good people of Oyo State”.

“These people voted for you and you definitely understand the margin at that voting season. A humble such governor is expected to sit down and show his appreciation for the little done now so that in the future, more votes can come his way.

“But where you play bad politics not only against All Progressives Congress (APC) at state level but now escalate it to a kind, performing APC Federal Government, you lose your opportunity to everything. After all, you have all your constitutionally guaranteed allocations from Abuja. Go and take care of your people by yourself,” Ogunyemi said.

It will be recalled that Governor Makinde’s holding of very large rally ushering for Osun State governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola to PDP remains in recent history as the politicisation that first escalated coronavirus cases in Nigeria.

This, The DEFENDER gathered, has been further proved by statement of Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, who reportedly said he had contact with Atiku’s son on the plane on his way to Abuja from Lagos. The son of the former Vice President was said to have earlier that day attended the Makinde-led PDP Ibadan rally where he had contacts with several other people who the crafter returned to their various states particularly Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Abuja.