Federal Government Intensifies Efforts to Curb Food Smuggling, Intercepting 141 Trucks
In a bid to address the food inflation and cost of living crisis, the Federal Government has announced the interception of 141 trucks attempting to smuggle grains and other staples to neighboring countries. This effort is part of ongoing measures to curb food smuggling and ensure food security in Nigeria.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, disclosed that the service, in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested about 120 trucks smuggling food items from Nigeria within two weeks. The EFCC, in a separate operation, intercepted 21 food trucks attempting to leave the country on Tuesday.
However, truck drivers, who have been targets of attacks by hoodlums, have threatened to declare a strike if the situation persists. Several trucks and warehouses, mostly owned by manufacturers and members of the organized private sector, have come under attack, further exacerbating the food inflation and cost of living crisis in the country.
In response to these challenges, President Bola Tinubu has directed that arrested trucks be diverted to local markets in the areas where they were apprehended to force down the prices of grains and other food items. This directive aims to alleviate the burden of high food prices on Nigerians.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, attributed the current food scarcity to smuggling, flooding, the naira redesign policy, and the COVID-19 pandemic. He assured Nigerians that measures are being put in place to stabilize prices and increase food production in the country.
Despite these efforts, truck owners involved in the haulage of food and fuel have expressed concerns about the attacks on their vehicles by hoodlums. The National President of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, stated that truck drivers might withdraw their services if the attacks and looting of food trucks continue.
The Federal Government urges all stakeholders to support its efforts to curb food smuggling and ensure food security for all Nigerians.
