A Nigerian Navy officer, identified as OS Nuhu, has died following a boat mishap during a raid on rice smugglers in the Badagry area of Lagos State, Sahara reporters gathered.

The tragic incident occurred on Saturday during an operation targeting contraband rice shipments smuggled from Benin Republic into Nigeria.

According to SaharaReporters, the anti-smuggling operation led by Captain Oyeleye Omotayo resulted in the arrest of 20 boats allegedly involved in smuggling. 

However, one of the boats capsized during the raid, killing OS Nuhu instantly and leaving another officer critically injured. The injured officer was rushed to a medical facility, though his current condition remains unknown.

The Nigerian Navy has not yet issued an official statement on the incident.

The raid follows investigative reports by SaharaReporters that exposed large-scale smuggling activities in the Badagry, Port Novo creek axis, allegedly aided by corrupt Nigerian Customs officers. Sources claimed that smugglers pay as much as ₦250,000 per boat to Customs officials to allow passage for boats carrying 120–150 bags of rice each.

Eyewitnesses and local sources say the smuggling route includes key areas like the Marina Customs base in Badagry, Iya Afin, and Erekiti.