Customs Release 15 Trucks Of Seized Food Items After Tinubu’s Directive

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command has announced the return of 15 seized grain trucks to their original owners.

This action aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive to enhance food sufficiency in Nigeria.

The announcement was made by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Abubakar, on Tuesday.

This gesture follows President Tinubu’s directive over the weekend, instructing the NCS to return all food items confiscated at border communities, provided they are sold within Nigerian markets.

This policy is designed to bolster food availability and affordability across the country.

During the handover ceremony at the command’s headquarters in Sokoto, the Customs Area Comptroller, Kamal Mohammed, urged the traders to appreciate the government’s leniency by ensuring the grains reach Nigerian markets as intended.

Mohammed emphasized the commitment of the NCS to closely monitor the sales of these grains to prevent them from being smuggled out of Nigeria.

“The command, along with the Customs Intelligence Unit and the Joint Border Patrol Team, will keep a vigilant eye on the market circulation of these grains, ensuring compliance with the Presidential directive,” Mohammed stated.

He also reminded the public that grains are listed under the extant Export Prohibition list and warned smugglers against any attempts to transport them illegally out of the country.

The Comptroller reiterated the NCS’s determination to combat smuggling in all forms, declaring the borders a hostile environment for such activities.

“We are resolved to make our borders an unsafe haven for smugglers and those who seek to undermine the nation’s economy for personal gain,” he asserted.

In response, the Secretary of the Grain Sellers Association of Sokoto, Dahiru Ladan, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his merciful approach.

Ladan assured the President and the NCS of the association’s commitment to ensuring that the grains are distributed within Nigerian markets, aligning with the objectives of the government’s directive.