The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has warned against the consumption of SIMBA brand of parboiled rice imported from India.
The agency Thursday revealed laboratory test conducted by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which showed that the brand contained lead (a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element).
The Federal Operations Unit, Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Ikeja, Lagos, said of the intercepted 7,250 bags of SIMBA rice, about one thousand of the bags were found to contain lead.
Customs Area Controller of the unit, Acting Controller Hussein Ejibunu, told journalists Thursday that the unit seized 55,800 litres of PMS, 73 bales of used clothes, 82 units of used fridges, 104 pieces of compressors, 143 bales of new textile, 1,264 pieces of used tyres, 156 cartons of frozen poultry and 7,960 pairs of new shoes amongst others.
“Pursuant to the federal government’s policy that encourages local production of rice against the importation of foreign parboiled rice, this unit had seized 7,259 (of 50 kg each) bags of rice, which is an equivalent of over twelve (12) trucks load.
“Sequel to a laboratory test analysis on some of the seized foreign parboiled rice by NAFDAC, one of the test parameters indicated some contents of lead (a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element) in the tested rice; making it unfit for human consumption.
“Consequent upon this laboratory analysis on the foreign parboiled rice; as a responsible government agency, we are letting Nigerians know that apart from the negative economic impact of importing foreign rice into the country, some of the imported rice are unhealthy for human consumption. Thus, we advise consumers to desist from patronising the federal government banned foreign parboiled rice.”
