Nigeria has confiscated 102 bags of "plastic rice" smuggled into the country by unscrupulous businessmen, the customs service says.
Lagos customs chief Haruna Mamudu said the fake rice was intended to be sold in markets during the festive season.
He said the rice was very sticky after it was boiled and "only God knows what would have happened" if people ate it.
It is not clear where the seized bags came from but rice made of plastic pellets was found in China last year.
Rice is the most popular staple food in Nigeria.
The BBC's Peter Okwoche says it is the only foodstuff that crosses cultural and ethnic lines across the country.
Investigations are under way to establish how much of the contraband has already been sold.
The customs official called on "economic saboteurs who see yuletide season as a peak period for their nefarious acts to desist from such illegal" business activity.
Mr Mamudu did not explain how the plastic rice was made but said it had been branded as "Best Tomato Rice".
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Monday, December 19, 2016
Video - Nigerian trade hub left in ruins after Boko Haram repulsed
Nigeria's Bama town in Borno State, has been left in ruins after the military managed to reclaim the town from Boko Haram militants. Borno State has been at the epicentre of Boko Haram's seven-year insurgency that has left at least 20,000 people dead in Nigeria and neighboring countries. Here's more on that story.
Video - Nigeria to end joint venture agreement with foreign owned oil companies
Nigeria's state owned NNPC has signed a deal to exit the long standing joint venture agreement with international oil companies in a move seen to maximize benefits from the oil industry.Petroleum minister Ibe Kachikwu says his government can no longer afford paying oil companies under the joint venture cash call.
Nigeria's women's football team end protest
Nigeria's women's team have ended their sit-in protest at a hotel in Abuja after being paid money owed to them.
They were demanding US$23,650 per player from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for winning the 2016 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
The Super Falcons had been at the hotel in the capital since 6 December.
"The players have all left the hotel in Abuja after they started receiving payments alerts," the team's media officer Remi Sulola told BBC Sport.
One of the players also confirmed that she and her roommate had been paid.
"It's taken some time, [because banks don't work over the weekend] but we've finally received our money today," one player, who insisted on anonymity, told BBC Sport.
"We thank the government, the fans and media for their roles in making sure we got our hard-earned dues."
To mark the 10th day of their complaint the team protested outside parliament in Abuja while the annual budget was being presented.
This led to the government releasing about US$1.2m to the cash-strapped NFF on Friday to pay the ladies.
Nigeria's victory in Cameroon was their eighth African women's title and means they have only twice failed to win the women's championship since its inception in 1998.
The money was also used to settle outstanding win bonus for the men's team in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
They were demanding US$23,650 per player from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for winning the 2016 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
The Super Falcons had been at the hotel in the capital since 6 December.
"The players have all left the hotel in Abuja after they started receiving payments alerts," the team's media officer Remi Sulola told BBC Sport.
One of the players also confirmed that she and her roommate had been paid.
"It's taken some time, [because banks don't work over the weekend] but we've finally received our money today," one player, who insisted on anonymity, told BBC Sport.
"We thank the government, the fans and media for their roles in making sure we got our hard-earned dues."
To mark the 10th day of their complaint the team protested outside parliament in Abuja while the annual budget was being presented.
This led to the government releasing about US$1.2m to the cash-strapped NFF on Friday to pay the ladies.
Nigeria's victory in Cameroon was their eighth African women's title and means they have only twice failed to win the women's championship since its inception in 1998.
The money was also used to settle outstanding win bonus for the men's team in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Friday, December 16, 2016
Video - Nigeria's inflation rises to record high of 18.48% in November
Nigeria is projecting its economy to grow at over 2 percent next year, rising from a current recession that analysts fear could drag into depression. The country has registered negative growth for the last three consecutive quarters, but president Buhari is betting 24 billion dollars to turn things around. He tabled his spending plan on Wednesday. Another thing that the country is grappling with is inflation. Annual inflation rose to 18.48 percent in November, the highest in more than 11 years, and the tenth straight monthly rise. The rise from 18.3 percent in October reflected higher prices for housing, electricity and food.
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