The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service has deployed more officers to land and sea borders to stop hoarders and smugglers of food items and other agricultural produce.
The agency, in its statement on Monday, noted that the move was to support the Federal Government’s efforts to stabilize food prices nationwide and ensure food security.
“To support the Federal Government’s efforts to stabilize food prices and ensure food security, the NAQS has initiated a nationwide crackdown on the smuggling and hoarding of agricultural commodities.
“The decisive action is part of the agency’s mandate to regulate the handling of agricultural products in Nigeria, ensuring they are safe for consumption and available at fair prices to the Nigerian populace.
“In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration, we are fully committed to ensuring that Nigerians have more food on their table, by strengthening our borders and clamping down on the smuggling of hoarded agricultural commodities,” it said.
NAQS was established in 2017 to prevent the entry, establishment and spread of foreign pests and diseases of plant, animal and aquatic resources and products into the country.
The agency stated that more officers of the agency had been deployed to the borders to tackle the menace of food smuggling and hoarding.
“To combat the illegal smuggling and hoarding of agricultural commodities, NAQS is enhancing its surveillance and control measures at all entry and exit points.
“Officers of the agency are working tirelessly across the country’s borders and control posts, conducting rigorous inspections, and monitoring to ensure no agro commodity is exported,” it added.
The agency’s acting Comptroller-General, Dr Godwin Audu, urged the public to report any suspicious activities related to the hoarding or smuggling of agricultural commodities.
Recall that on Monday, the Nigeria Customs Service had declared that it stopped 15 trailers fully loaded with food items and were heading out of the country through the Sokoto State border.
It said the trailers were stopped and the food items were returned to Nigeria, adding that this was part of measures to stabilize the prices of food items across the country in line with the mandate of the Federal Government.