Since the food crisis broke out in Nigeria, the Nigeria Customs Service has so far intercepted about 120 trucks of foodstuffs being exported illegally.

The clamp down on food exports by the customs was part of the measures of the Federal government to end the food scarcity that has ravaged the country in recent time.

The feat by the Customs was made known by Wale Adeniyi, the Customs Comptroller General while he was on a visit to Kano at the weekend.

Speaking on the Service’s efforts to curb smuggling across the federation, CGC Adeniyi said his officers have seized over 120 trucks of essential foodstuff nationwide as part of its efforts to ensure food sufficiency and food security in the country.

According to him, this measure follows the matching order that President Bola Tinubu had given to the Service to ensure that excessive hoarding and illegal exportation of grains were curtailed.

“Apart from policing the borders, our mandate is to also ensure the protection of agricultural inputs as essential elements of National powers which ensure food security because hunger is an essential element of chaos and uncertainties,” he said.

Wale was speaking while he visited Kano/ Jigsaw command of the service.

In his address, CGC Adeniyi spoke about the country’s prevailing state of food scarcity, urging officers and men to adhere to their work responsibilities.

He emphasized the importance of representing the Service well to gain the trust of Nigerians and charged them to address their conduct, cautioning against the unauthorized use of social media.

Addressing members of the press, the CGC reiterated the Service’s commitment to ensuring national food security, “in our unwavering dedication to safeguarding our nation’s prosperity, I stand before you today to reaffirm the Customs Service’s solemn pledge to fortify our country’s food security.” he added.

The Comptroller-General of Customs said, “Our resolve remains steadfast as we navigate the challenges ahead, steadfastly upholding our duty to protect and nourish our beloved homeland.”

He emphasized that all actions of the Nigeria Customs Service are governed by the law and aimed at building a prosperous country.

He said, “In our relentless pursuit of upholding the integrity of international trade, I underscore the Customs’ unwavering vigilance in enforcing compliance with trade regulations.

” The recent surge in significant seizures stands as a testament to our steadfast commitment to ensuring fair and lawful commerce, safeguarding the interests of our nation and global partners alike.”

The Comptroller-General of Customs, who announced measures to reduce the price of food items in the country and release food items to residents in Kano, also assured that “the Service would continue to operate within the law and maintain the status of food security in the country.”

CGC Adeniyi however stressed the importance of collaboration with relevant stakeholders and fostering good relations with community members.

He also used the medium to urge citizens to continue supporting the efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service in safeguarding national food security.

The visit of the Comptroller-General underscores the Service’s commitment to addressing critical issues such as food scarcity and ensuring the welfare of citizens across the nation.
The CGC also took his campaign on food sufficiency and effort to stop food exports to  Dawanau International grains marketers where he urged them to avoid illegal exports, hoarding

During his visit to the market situated in Kano on Friday, March 8, 2024, CGC Adeniyi emphasized the imperative for vigilance against hoarding of food supplies, underscoring the gravity of the ongoing situation, “While we remain confident that you will abide by the rules, we will deploy intelligence  to ascertain the level of compliance.”

He says, “This directive underscores the government’s commitment to mitigating the effects of food shortages and ensuring equitable distribution of resources amidst the current national crisis.”

He said the president had identified the ongoing hardship and food scarcity in the country, hence directed that the Act must be fully implemented to ensure that the food items were not illegally exported out of the country when people were in dire need of them.

The Comptroller-General then urged the Dawanau grains dealers to assist the government by complying with the directive banning the exportation of food items to provide enough food to the people.

“We work with you to ensure that our joint objective of achieving national law and so many issues which have been raised. I listened to you with rapt attention about creating an export warehouse in this market.”

“The Nigeria Customs Service will set up machinery that can be used to address issues around who operates the warehouse.”

“The President has asked me to request your understanding that during this period, we will implement the laws forbidding the exportation of certain grains such as beans, rice, and millet, among many others. We do not want those that are locally produced in Nigeria and those that are already imported to be re-exported out of the country.”

“You are a very big stakeholder in this particular business before today. I had a meeting with transporters. I met with journalists to get their support and understanding, and that’s why I’ve also come to this market because we know that this is the biggest market, the reason we must take an interest in where your exports are going.”

He maintained that “we will also make sure that we take on board and collaborate with other agencies like the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, and most importantly, the Central Bank of Nigeria because I understand that there is still a big issue we need to resolve.”

In his remarks, the President of the Dawanau Market Development Association, Muttaka Isah, told the Comptroller-General that members of the association were facing some challenges, which included “the unfounded allegation in some quarters that our dealers hoard grains in their warehouses.”

“I want to seize this opportunity, Sir, to deny this baseless allegation and to inform Nigerians that we do not hoard foodstuffs; whatever grains we procure from the growers and other sources, we store them in our warehouses for a while before we supply them directly to our customers in the markets.”

“So, we store these grains for operational convenience and to protect the foodstuffs from foreign bodies that might spoil them.” He said.

“Another challenge bedeviling this market is the near absence of operational understanding between our traders who import beans and the operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, especially along the Nigeria-Niger International border.” He said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dawanau Development Association, Abdullahi Maidoya, expressed appreciation for CGC Adeniyi’s initiative in taking the time to interact with the market’s leadership and listen to their concerns.

Maidoya commended the Comptroller-General for his commitment to fostering a conducive business environment for traders within the market.

He particularly lauded the promise made by CGC Adeniyi to facilitate seamless business conditions, acknowledging the significance of such efforts in alleviating the challenges faced by businesspeople operating in the market.

Recognizing the importance of streamlining import processes, he emphasized the need for collaborative efforts between the Service and market stakeholders to address barriers and ensure the smooth flow of essential commodities into the country.

In another development, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service has embarked on a comprehensive inspection visit to the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport and some Bonded Terminals under the jurisdiction of NCS Kano/Jigawa Area Command.

While in Kano, Adeniyi had earlier paid homage to the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, where he received royal blessings.