Tinubu directs Nigerian Customs to return seized food items to owners

The Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to return food items confiscated at border communities to owners on the condition that they would be sold in the Nigerian markets to boost food sufficiency.

Penpushing reports that the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, made this known during an interface with residents of border communities in Kongolam and Mai’Adua border stations.

The Comptroller General explained that the President has decided to exercise his power according to the feelings of magnanimity that he has for Nigeria, contrary to what the law stipulates.

‘In doing so, he has directed that those food items that were going out of the country that have been seized in various border areas should be returned to the owners on the condition that those goods would be sold in the Nigerian markets’, he said.

Penpushing further reports that Adeniyi added that the authorities will be monitoring the situation to know if there is a violation of this condition, emphasizing that those food items will be returned, and that it is a directive that we will pass them back into the Nigerian markets.

The customs boss explained that Nigeria is in an emergency food situation and that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will continue to take proactive measures to tackle the exportation of food items to curb food insufficiency.

Penpushing also reports that Adeniyi emphasised the provision of the act, adding that the law would be reviewed when the nation is self-sufficient, stressing that the Customs Service will continue to monitor to ensure that food items produced in the country remain in Nigeria and are consumed by Nigerians to tame food inflation.

‘We know that there are markets around our borders and we know that not all of them are targeted at taking goods across the borders. We will continue to monitor and ensure that food that is produced in Nigeria remains and is consumed in Nigeria’, he said.

Penpushing reports that he explained that since Nigeria is in a period of national emergency that has to do with food insufficiency, agencies must collectively work together to assist the government in enforcing the various laws that prohibit the exportation of food items at this time.

‘There is an Export Prohibition Act which currently disallows the exportation of food items like maize, rice, beans, yam, millet and sorghum. Food security is very, very important. If our people are in hunger, they can be lured into certain criminal activities’, he stated.

Penpushing further reports that Adeniyi urged residents of the border communities to assist the government in implementing the various rules that prohibit the exports of food items and other essential commodities.

Meanwhile, the directive is coming at a time when the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) officials are alleged to be found guilty of conniving with smugglers at the expense of national security, while it is recalled that some high-ranking officials of the service were arrested and detained for days when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) traced about N12 billion proceeds of bribes from smugglers to them.

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