Anxiety in Ogun, Lagos over alleged ‘lethal rice’ in circulation

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

Parents and relatives have been sending voice messages to their loved ones, alerting them to avoid buying or consuming rice at this time because an alleged 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 forwarded seen by this medium, the speakers noted 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 said 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 said rice.

As the warnings keep getting to people in Ogun and Lagos, they pass the same to their loved ones, stressing to them that rice must not be consumed or bought at this time.

A resident in the Ipokia Local Government told this medium that it was true, but the Nigeria Customs Service has debunked the rumours saying there was no such rice and nobody had dead.