Customs to implement Export Prohibition Act to curb food smuggling

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says President Bola Tinubu has directed total compliance with the Export Prohibition Act concerning food items to prevent the smuggling of commodities out of the country.

Adewale Adeniyi, comptroller-general of the service, disclosed this during a meeting with the leaders and members of the Dawanau international grains market in Kano on Friday.

He said the act was not implemented in the past because Nigeria had food sufficiency.

However, given the current food crisis in the country, the president has instructed strict enforcement of the act to prevent the export of food items during a time of urgent need for the people.

The comptroller-general called on Dawanu grains dealers to support the government by adhering to the directive prohibiting the export of food items, ensuring sufficient food supply for Nigerians.

”It is unwise for a reasonable and sincere country to embark on exportation of food items when her own citizens are in need of them,” he said.

“You are big stakeholders in this direction and these are reasons why I am here to interact with you and solicit for your support.”

In his remarks, Muttaka Isah, president of the Dawanau international market told the comptroller-general members of the association were encountering various difficulties, including baseless accusations in certain circles that their dealers store grains in their warehouses.

“I want to seize this opportunity to deny this baseless allegation and to inform Nigerians that we do not hoard foodstuffs,” he said.

“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 any foreign bodies that might spoil them. That is the truth.

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

Isah appealed to customs to ease their importation requirements for beans and other food items from Niger Republic to facilitate the smooth transportation of goods for the benefit of their customers and Nigeria.