THE President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, to return the food items they seized at the border communities to the rightful owners, with the requirement that the items should be sold in Nigerian markets.
According to media reports, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this in Katsina while meeting with people from border areas at Kongolam and Mai’Adua border stations.
He mentioned that Tinubu had decided to use his authority not based on legal guidelines, “but rather reflecting the deep sense of generosity he holds towards Nigeria.”
“In doing so, he 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.
“So, we will be monitoring you to know if there is a violation of this. Those food items will be returned, and it is a directive that we will pass them back into the Nigerian markets,” Adeniyi added.
He added that Nigeria is in an emergency food situation and that the NCS will continue to take proactive measures to tackle the exportation of food items to curb food insufficiency.
