Two suspects posing as intermediaries between Nigeria Customs Service and orphanages in the ongoing distribution of rice and other food items have been arrested.
A man and woman were arrested in Seme at the continuation of rice distribution to orphanages in Badagry area of Lagos and environ.
Joseph Attah, National Public Relations Officer of the customs told journalists that the suspects approached some unsuspecting orphanages on pretence of working for the Service.
” We discovered that some unpatriotic elements, those who do not have human feelings in them have attempted to catch into this good gesture by the Federal Government, to further subjugate our people, especially the suffering Nigerians into more hardship.”
He said, “We have discovered this man and a woman going about collecting documents from orphanages, pretending to be working for Customs. Their intention is clear, though there has not been any extortion yet.
“We have been able to nip this issue on the bud, as we apprehended and detained the suspects at Seme immediately”.
He emphasized, “Let me state clearly here that the Service has Committee made up of five Comptrollers, one Deputy Comptroller, who is the National PRO of the Service, a representative of the Legal Adviser and Assistant Comptroller, who is a representative of the Zone.
“Therefore, the Service is not using any intermediary and has not given any individual permission to collect documents from orphanages on its behalf”.
He went on, “The Committee is headed by Comptroller Salihu Yakubu, an officer who is known for integrity” Attah said
“As at Yesterday we have already allocated 20.000 bags of rice from Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, to orphanages within Lagos. Today, we are at Seme, in continuation of the exercise, we have given out more than 1250 bags of 50k rice to orphanages in Seme and Badagry”
He added that the arrested suspects are being interrogated as part of ongoing investigation into their activities.
The Committee will continue distribution to verified orphanages in Idiroko Thursday 28th February 2019
