Amidst ongoing clamp down on exporters of essential food items to neighboring countries, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that it would distribute seized items to poor and vulnerable Nigerians to cursion the effect of food scarcity across the country.
The Service which said it would continue to maintain its strategic anti-smuggling operations across the country, observed that some elements are taking the advantage of ongoing food scarcity for their economic gains to export essential food items to neighboring countries there by escalating the recurrent surge in prices of food items and other stuff.
Abdullahi Maiwada, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service in a statement posted on the service’s X handle formally known as Twitter, said the forfeited items would be made available to ordinary Nigerians after being certified fit for consumption by relevant authorities.
” Furthermore, to alleviate the hardships faced by Nigerians and improve access to essential food items, the Nigeria Customs Service will facilitate the direct disposal of food items forfeited to the Federal Government. These items will be certified fit for consumption by relevant agencies and made available to ordinary Nigerians nationwide through equitable distribution in our Areas of Operations”.
“The modalities for the disposal will be communicated through NCS formations nationwide, with a firm commitment to transparency, fairness, and public safety. It is our pledge that this exercise will be managed diligently to ensure that the benefits reach those most in need”, it said.
Maintaining that it will continue to checkmate hoarding and illegal exportation of food and other essential items, the Service said it will continue to key in safeguarding the nation’s food security and advancing economic well-being of all Nigerians.
“In response to the critical challenges of food security and the soaring costs of essential food items in Nigeria, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, reaffirms his commitment to advancing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s food security agenda. This commitment is deeply rooted in the NCS’s core mandate of serving the best interests of the Nigerian people, thereby fostering economic stability and prosperity”, the statement added.
 has said that it would distribute seized items to poor and vulnerable Nigerians to cursion the effect of food scarcity across the country.){kind=link}