A combined team of Customs and military officers stormed Sabo market in the wee hours of Monday, September 10, 2018, and carted away about five thousand bags of rice (5000 bags) and more than five hundred kegs of vegetable oil worth millions of naira.
It was also learnt from some of the victims that not only imported bags of rice were carted away but also bags of locally made rice.
Oriwu Sun gathered that the combine team of the officers arrived the market’s main gate around 12 midnight and approached the security men on ground. The leader of the team was reported to have asked for a particular security guard at the market who identified himself to the armed officers. Market sources told our reporters that, “The fact is that they had information about where they were coming to, those they were going to meet and the exact locations of the shops they were targeting,” he stated.
Speaking further, he said, “When they got to the gate, they requested to see one of our security personnel and even mentioned his name and he quickly identified himself. They told them that they were federal government agents on s special mission and ordered them to open the locked gate.”
It was learnt that while the discussion was going on, the officers requested for the phone of the three security personnel and they complied by surrendering their communication gadgets. They also made it clear that they were there to seize contraband goods.
A source also disclosed that more than ten trucks bearing the inscription of federal government drove into the market to load the goods from the shops. He said the officers came inside the market and went straight to the section occupied by Mallams and woke them up to help them in packing the goods and also stated that they were going to pay them.
While speaking about the incident, the Iyaloja-General of Ikorodu, Alhaja (Chief) Taofeekat Allison, said that the affected shops were forcefully opened by the custom officers.
In a brief interview with Oriwu Sun, the Chairman of Block B. section of Sabo market, Mr. Patrick Nwabuisi, confirmed the incident stating that the custom officers only raided shops and stalls with rice and vegetable oil. According to him, the reason behind the invasion was a mystery to him and the traders in the market.
Mrs. Omolara Apata, one of the victims whose two shops (248 and 249) in section of the market were affected, said the officers forcefully broke into her shops and carted away three hundred and twenty five (325) bags of rice and some kegs of vegetable oil.
In her words: “I sell Nigerian rice and Cotonou rice but they only took the Cotonou rice numbering three hundred and twenty five bags (325) and some kegs of vegetable oil.
“My stock was delivered to me in March this year in two trailers and I am yet to sell them. We are appealing to the government to come to our aid and ensure that our goods are returned.”
Another victim, Mr. Olufemi Micheal said he was called around 1:00am that shops were being robbed in the market and when he got to Sabo, he discovered that three hundred and ninety seven (397) bags of rice had been removed from his shop. “They also broke my locker thinking that there was money inside,” he stated.
He appealed to the government to help them return the rice because that was his means of livelihood. Another female victim who owns four shops numbered (A26, 28, 29 and 30), Alhaji Todiat Ogungbako, complained that one hundred and forty bags of rice were taken from his shops.
Oriwu Sun gathered that the chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, was duly informed about the incident and he promised to visit the custom office in Ikeja to find out the whereabouts of the goods and why they were confiscated. He also promised to brief the state government on the development.
