Smuggling: Why President Tinubu directs return of seized food trucks to owners –Customs Chief

*Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service confirms President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the return to owners 21 food trucks recently seized at the border communities on a condition, stressing the Service will continue to ensure that foods produced locally remain in Nigeria, for Nigerian consumers to curb food inflation

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to return food items  the Service operatives earlier intercepted at country’s North-East border communities to their owners.

ConsumerConnect learnt the NCS, however, noted President Tinubu said the food consignments should be released to the owners on a condition that they would be sold in the Nigerian markets to boost food sufficiency.

Reports recently indicated that NCS operatives had intercepted about 21 food trucks enroute Niger, Cameroon and Chad, among others along the country’s borders in Borno State, North-East region.

Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of NCS, reportedly disclosed this development during an interface with residents of border communities in Kongolam and Mai’Adua border stations.

Adeniyi hinted that the Nigerian leader decided to exercise his power “according to the feelings of magnanimity that he has for Nigeria”, contrary to what the extant law stipulates on smuggling activities.

The NCS Chief stated: “In doing so, he (Tinubu) 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.”

Adeniyi, nonetheless, noted that the NCS authorities would be monitoring the market situation to know if there is a violation of this condition on the food items to be returned to owners.

“Those food items will be returned, and it is a directive that we will pass them back into the Nigerian markets, stated he.

The Comptroller-General also affirmed that the West African country is in an emergency food situation, and the Service would continue to take proactive measures to tackle the exportation of food items to curb food insufficiency.

What Nigeria’s Export Prohibition Act stipulates

The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Saturday as well stressed the provision of the act, as he noted the relevant law would be reviewed when the Nigeria is self-sufficient in food production and distribution.

Adeniyi equally referenced how the consolidated version of Nigeria’s Export Prohibition Act prohibits the exportation of certain goods (food commodities) specified in the Schedule to the Act, likewise, anything contained in the Customs Excise Tariff Act or any Act or other enactment notwithstanding.

The scheduled goods under the act include beans, cassava tuber, maize, rice, yam tuber, all products or derivatives of these products, and all imported food items.

The provision states in part: “Any person who takes, causes to be taken, induces any other person to take or attempts to take out of Nigeria any of the goods specified in the Schedule to this Act shall be guilty of an offence.”

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.

Adeniyi said: “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 added since Nigeria is in a period of national emergency that has to do with food insufficiency, regulatory agencies must collectively work together to assist the government in enforcing the various laws that prohibit the exportation of food items from the country.

The Comptroller-General 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.

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