The Nigerian government has made a significant discovery in its ongoing battle against food smuggling, uncovering 32 routes used to illegally export food items out of Nigeria.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, making this revelation on Tuesday, said 45 trucks transporting dozens of bags of maize to neighbouring African countries were intercepted.
“Just three nights ago, 45 trucks of maize were caught being transported to neighbouring countries. Just in that Ilela axis, there are 32 illegal smuggling routes,” said the VP.
This revelation comes at a crucial time when the country is grappling with a food crisis that threatens its food security and drives up prices.
The authorities are all out to crack down on food hoarding and smuggling following a presidential directive last week to that effect.
VP Shettima said the botched smuggling operation caused the price of maize to fall.
In his words, “the moment those foodstuff were intercepted, the price of maize came down by N10,000. It came down from N60,000 to N50,000.”
Pilot News learnt that the food smuggling operation was halted by officers of the Zamfara State Transport Agency, ZARTO, at Gidan Jaja village in Zamfara State, close to the Nigerian borders with Niger Republic.
Pilot News also learnt that no arrests were made. ZARTO spokesman Sale Shinkafi said the traffickers who were on their way to Niger were asked to return to their respective localities and sell the commodities at affordable prices.
“We directed the owners to go back and sell the commodities to Nigerians at the appropriate prices,” said Shinkafi.
“Our main concern is to make sure that the food items are not smuggled out of the country. We only refused to allow them to get into Niger Republic.”
Shinkafi said the intercepted trucks were 50, not 45 as Shettima claimed.
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