Hardship: Customs will start distributing confiscated rice and other food products
Hardship: Customs will start distributing confiscated rice and other food products
As soon as the Federal Government approves, the Nigeria Customs Service, Oyo/Ogun Command, intends to begin distributing more confiscated rice and other food products to citizens. finalizes the modalities for the exercise, to lessen the hardship Nigerians are facing due to the skyrocketing prices of food.
The command stated that the distribution exercise’s procedures had to be followed to avoid a recurrence of the deadly occurrence that was recalled from Lagos, where numerous individuals lost their lives when armed thugs disguised in camouflage attempted to enter the location.
Remember that NCS started giving away food goods that had been seized to Nigerians on the Federal Government’s instruction to lessen the country’s current suffering.
Speaking to reporters yesterday at the command headquarters in Ibadan, Area Controller Ben Oramalugo of Oyo/Osun Command stated that the Nigeria Customs Service has been instructed by the federal government to provide seized rice to the public at a reduced cost to lessen the suffering of Nigerians and ensure that they have access to reasonably priced food due to the current food shortage and rising prices.
He stated that many families’ hardships would be greatly lessened by the distribution of the seized goods. He also stated that they are taking the directive seriously and are dedicated to making sure that the seized rice is distributed fairly and transparently, with qualified recipients being thoroughly vetted and confirmed before receiving the items.
“Once the required procedures are established, the distribution of confiscated rice will start,” he stated. We will inform the public regularly of the distribution’s progress.
“We would like to remind everyone that smuggling is prohibited and that those who engage in it face severe penalties in the interim.”
“We implore everyone to back the government’s initiatives to combat smuggling and guarantee that only lawful goods are imported into the nation.”
In the meantime, the area commander gave an explanation of how the command had, only for the 2024 fiscal year, intercepted and confiscated counterfeit pharmaceuticals along the Bakatari area of Omi-Adio, Ibadan, with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1,739,000,000,00 (one billion, seven hundred and thirty-nine million naira).
More items that were taken into custody were grains, vegetable oil, worn clothes, used tires, and more.
He claimed that the command’s increased efforts to stop smuggling and safeguard the public’s health and safety were what led to the seizure.
The Area Controller added, pointing out that the command has prioritized the fight against smuggling in all of its operations and has been an enforcement-oriented command.
According to him, the area leadership of NCS is working to lessen the suffering that some economic saboteurs in the nation are currently causing.
Regarding phony medicines, let me reiterate that anyone caught smuggling or selling these harmful goods will not be tolerated by our command.
Between January 19 and February 2, 2024, the following illicit items were detected and apprehended by the command: 345 (50 kg) bags of foreign parboiled rice, valued at N24,218,000.00; 344 (25 liters) kegs of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, valued at N5,728,500.00; and 4 wraps (4 kg) of Indian hemp, valued at N126, 000.00. 1309 pieces of used tires, valued at N70, 140,000.00; 45 sacks of used clothes and shoes; 8 sacks or 9 sacks of used apparel; bales; worth N32,400,000.00/N10, 320, 000,000.00.
“Foreign wine, 34 cartons, 5 bottles, worth N6,231,206,00; foreign vegetable oil, 40 bottles (5literss), worth N1,760,000,00; 21 bottles (1litere), worth N99,225,00; Augmentin Tablet, (625mg), 7 sacks, worth N819,000,000,00; Ampiclox, 22 sacks, worth N440,000,000,00; Amoxylin Capsules, 24 sacks, worth N480,000,000,00; all of this amount comes to N1,890,022,931.00.
But he reaffirmed the command’s commitment to fighting the nation’s persistent economic problems by helping the federal government increase food security.
As a result, command officers remain vigilant as well as dedicated to preventing the snuggling of items that might compromise the health and well-being of our citizens,” Oramalugo said.
In the end, he issued a warning to those who import counterfeit medications, telling them to stop their actions since the government will keep enforcing strict measures to keep these goods out of the nation.
“We cannot do this alone,” Oramalugo said, urging the public to be on guard and report any unusual activities or anybody involved in the trafficking of bogus medications. To put an end to this risky transaction, we need the public’s cooperation.
