Rice Being Smuggled Through Bush Paths Despite Border Closure (Pics)

Rice being smuggled through bush paths despite the closure of the Nigeria land borders with Benin on August 20 in an attempt to stop the smuggling of contraband goods, including food and petrol, across the border.

Nigeria made the unilateral decision to shut its border with Benin in August and soon after also closed sections of its border with Cameroon and Niger.

One key concern cited by authorities was the rice that Beninese traders import from Asia and then illegally re-export to Nigeria. According to the Nigerian authorities, the importation of these goods jeopardises the country’s agricultural policy aimed at achieving food autonomy.

Following the developments, Nigerians are now smuggling the goods especially rice through bush paths.

In some photos that we’ve been furnished with, some smugglers even abandoned their bike and goods as they ran out of luck.