The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it is working to distribute some seized food items nationwide as the biting food crisis continues in the country.
According to the National Public Relations, CSC Abdullahi Maiwada, the food items will be distributed after they are certified fit for human consumption.
In a Tuesday statement, he said the move is “to alleviate the hardships faced by Nigerians and improve access to essential food items, the Nigeria Customs Service will facilitate the direct disposal of food items forfeited to the Federal Government.
“These items will be certified fit for consumption by relevant agencies and made available to ordinary Nigerians nationwide through equitable distribution in our Areas of Operations.
“The modalities for the disposal will be communicated through NCS formations nationwide, with a firm commitment to transparency, fairness, and public safety. It is our pledge that this exercise will be managed diligently to ensure that the benefits reach those most in need.”
The NCS said the development reaffirms the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi’s commitment to advancing President Bola Tinubu’s food security agenda.
“This commitment is deeply rooted in the NCS’s core mandate of serving the best interests of the Nigerian people, thereby fostering economic stability and prosperity,” the statement read.
The NCS has also launched a “strategic anti-smuggling operation and public engagement in its commitment to preventing the unlawful exportation of vital food resources for individual economic gains”.
