The Nigeria Customs Service dismisses rumors of poisonous rice in Lagos and Ogun, assuring residents that the circulating voice notes are false and misleading.
The disturbing rumours, mostly shared via WhatsApp, claim that a foreign trader invoked the Ogun deity on two truckloads of rice that were allegedly stolen and smuggled into Nigeria through the Idiroko and Seme borders.
According to the voice notes, the unnamed trader, said to be based in Ghana, reportedly cursed anyone who buys or eats the stolen rice.
The audio messages even allege that Customs officers, a soldier, and other individuals died after consuming the supposedly cursed rice. However, the NCS has moved swiftly to dispel the rumours.
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In a statement on Wednesday, Isah Sulaiman, the Public Relations Officer of the Seme Area Command, described the allegations as “entirely false and misleading.”
“The attention of the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, has been drawn to a widely circulated unfounded and baseless allegation claiming that the Command seized and distributed bags of rice without the knowledge of the purported owner, who then allegedly invoked traditional powers leading to the death of individuals, including a soldier at Badagry. The command wishes to categorically state that this narrative is entirely false, misleading, and does not reflect the reality of the matter,” the statement read.
The Customs Service emphasized that there is no toxic or spiritually cursed rice in circulation, urging the public not to panic or spread misinformation.
As of now, no official reports have confirmed any deaths or illnesses linked to rice consumption in the affected areas.
