Nigeria Customs Ordered To Return Seized Grains To Owners

News in Brief:
– In an effort to improve food security and reduce prices, President Tinubu directed Nigerian Customs to return seized grains to owners for domestic sale.
– The decision, highlighting collaboration with communities and state governments, hinges on the returned food being sold within Nigeria.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to return seized grains to their rightful owners for sale within Nigerian markets.

This was disclosed to newsmen recently by the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, during an interface with residents of border communities in Kongolam and Mai’Adua border stations of Katsina state.

The move, according to the agency’s boss, was engendered by a feeling of forgiveness on the part of the president. Adeniyi added that the president directed that those food items that were going out of the country and that were seized in various border areas should be returned to the owners on the condition that they sell them in the Nigerian markets.

Explaining further, Adeniyi said that returning the seized grains is intended to increase the availability of food items in the market. The ultimate goal is to lower food prices for citizens.

Customs had previously seized over 120 trucks of food items intended for export, contributing to food shortages, a news report claimed.

This directive by President Tinubu reflects the government’s focus on tackling food insecurity. The move also aims at ensuring the affordability of staple food items for Nigerians.

The release of seized grains, along with continued collaboration between customs officials and local communities, is expected to contribute to a more stable food supply chain.

However, it is not clear what will happen to the seized rice that were already sold to Nigerians in Lagos state, last week. Netizens queried the decision to stop selling the grains at ‘giveaway’ prices while some accused the president of conceding to pressures from the wealthy and powerful class, who are at the helm of smuggling goods out of the country.