Ogun State Indigenes Tensed Up Over Stolen Rice Allegedly Laced With Curses

There is tension in parts of Ogun and Lagos states over rumours that there is deadly rice in circulation.

Parents and relatives sent voice messages to their loved ones, warning them against buying or consuming rice at this time because a foreign trader had invoked the spirit of Ogun deity after her two trucks of rice were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria.
In various voice notes in circulation on Whatsapp, the speakers maintained that two trucks of rice were stolen from a neighbouring country and were later smuggled into Nigeria through the Idiroko border and the Seme border.

It was stated that the owner of the bags of rice, a woman, contacted some Ogun worshipers in Ghana to lay curses on whoever buys or consumes the alleged stolen rice.
In a voice note, it was rumoured that some Customs officers and a soldier had died in Badagry, Lagos State.
It was also alleged by another sender on WhatsApp that over 70 persons had died in the past few days after buying or consuming the rice.

As some individuals tried to debunk the rumour, more voice notes came from different people, claiming their alleged confirmation of the deaths.

The Nigerian Customs Service in Lagos and Ogun has debunked the claims, saying there was no deadly rice in circulation.
In a statement by the NCS, Seme Area Command, Public Relations Officer, Isah Sulaiman, said the narrative was entirely false, misleading, and did not reflect the reality of the matter.

From Punch