RESIDENTS in Ogun and Lagos states are gripped with anxiety over circulating voice notes warning against the consumption of allegedly “deadly rice.”
The panic stems from viral messages claiming that a foreign female trader invoked the Ogun deity after her two trucks of rice were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria through the Idiroko and Seme borders.
According to the voice notes, the rice was cursed, leading to the deaths of several people—including customs officers and a soldier in Badagry, Lagos.
One message even claimed over 70 people had died after consuming the rice, fueling widespread alarm.
Many families have taken precautionary steps, urging loved ones not to buy or eat rice. Some parents in Ogun reportedly visited schools to warn food vendors not to serve rice to their children.
Despite some attempts to debunk the rumor, more unverified voice notes continue to spread, keeping the fear alive.
However, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has firmly dismissed the allegations. In a statement, the Seme Area Command’s spokesperson, Isah Sulaiman, said the narrative is “entirely false, misleading, and baseless.”
The NCS emphasized that it follows strict procedures in the seizure and disposal of goods and that no deaths have been recorded as a result of rice consumption in any of its operational areas.
The agency urged the public to disregard the rumors and avoid spreading panic. It also criticized individuals using fake news to malign security agencies, warning that such actions erode public trust.
Despite the reassurances, the rumors have already spread beyond Lagos and Ogun, reaching cities like Abeokuta and Ibadan, where fear among rice consumers continues to grow.
