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 neighboring African countries were intercepted on Sunday night. “Just in that axis, there are 32 illegal smuggling routes,” he added.
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.
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.
TruthNigeria learnt that no arrests were made. ZARTO spokesman Sale Shinkafi said the truck drivers were asked to return to their respective localities and sell the commodities at prices the locals can afford.
“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,” he added. Shinkafi said the intercepted trucks were 50, not 45 as Shettima claimed.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
