The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC) has clarified the controversy surrounding the seizure of suspected ‘plastic rice’ in December.
Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service had intercepted a consignment of imported rice which it suspected to be plastic rice in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.
The Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Mrs Yetunde Oni, spoke about the controversy on Thursday at a joint press conference with Customs in Abuja.
Mrs Oni stated that the final laboratory results on the suspected plastic rice proved negative.
She, however, declared the intercepted rice, which was branded as “Best Tomato”, unfit for human consumption since it failed other quality tests carried out by NAFDAC.
Officials of the Federal Operations Unit ‘Zone A’ of Customs had uncovered 102 bags of what was described as plastic rice imported into Nigeria.
The smugglers were stated to have planned to cash in on the rush for the staple food during the festive season.
The Comptroller of the Unit, Mr Haruna Mamudu, told journalists that his men were working to unravel how the products came into the country.
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