The Controller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, NIS, Bashir Adeniyi, has reported that approximately 120 trucks engaged in the smuggling of food items were apprehended by the service within a fortnight.
The Controller-General said this while informing the House of Representatives about the steps taken to secure food access in Abuja on Tuesday.
The grains and essential food items were being smuggled to 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.
“Mr President has directed that we sell directly to needy Nigerians food items produced locally but which were seized. This is one of the ways to address hunger and food scarcity we are facing. We have started this in Lagos.
“Also, the President has also directed that imported food items seized by the Nigeria Customs Service should be sold back to the local markets for resale to Nigerians,” Adeniyi said.
Nigeria is facing economic hardship and hunger across its 36 states and the federal capital and appears not to have enough food to feed its citizens, talk more of exporting to other countries.