The Controller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NIS), Bashir Adeniyi, has disclosed that approximately 120 trucks engaged in smuggling food items have been apprehended by the service within a two-week period.
Adeniyi made this known while addressing the House of Representatives about measures taken to secure food access in Abuja on Tuesday.
The seized grains and essential food items were destined for neighboring countries such as Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic.
“We arrested in two weeks about 120 trucks of food items going out of the country.
These are the food items Mr. President has asked us to give back to the local markets where the arrests were made.
We believe this will drive down the price of food items in these places,” Adeniyi stated.
He further mentioned that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the NIS to sell seized imported food items back to local markets for resale to Nigerians in need, as part of efforts to address hunger and food scarcity.
This directive has already been implemented in Lagos.
Nigeria is currently facing economic hardship and food shortages across its 36 states and the federal capital, making it challenging to meet local demand, let alone export to other countries.
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