Residents commend NCS over interception of trucks with foodstuffs along Sokoto-Illela border

By Abiodun OBA

Some residents of Sokoto State have commended officers of the Nigerian Customs Service, Sokoto command for intercepting 15 truckloads of grains along Sokoto-Illela road allegedly being smuggled out of the country.

They, however, appealed to them and other security agents in the state to ensure law and order is strictly adhered to among food marketers in the state.

Recall, the Controller border drilling in charge of Zone 4, Controller Kolapo Oladeji, said that Customs has resolved to use all legal means to ensure no foodstuffs are smuggled out of the country through any of its land borders.

Speaking while parading some pharmaceutical drugs allegedly smuggled into the country by the smugglers at the Customs Sokoto command office on Thursday, Oladeji described the activities of the smugglers as unpatriotic and against the development of the country.

He said the Nigerian Customs is fully committed to ensuring a safe environment for residents as well as ensuring adequate food supplies to the populace.

According to the controller, “We have been mandated by the Comptroller General of Customs to ensure that no food is allowed to be snuggled out of the country henceforth.

“My team in Zone 4, comprising Northwest states have been empowered through manpower and other equipments to ensure that the task ahead of us is tackled judiciously.

“It is an act of wickedness when our government invest and encourages more persons into farming, and some elements within the country now prefer to smuggle such foodstuffs to the neighbouring countries.

“It has to be stopped and I want to assure residents of the state that we are fully ready and prepared to stop such activities henceforth.”

Confirming the arrest, the spokesman of the command, Abdullahi Tsafe Abubakar, said the trucks were intercepted along Gwadabawa – Illela road.

He, however, said the command is investigating the situation so as to ascertain its destination.

“The trucks were intercepted along Gwadabawa – Illela road on Friday, and due to the volume of the grains, the command has commenced an investigation into the circumstances to know the destination of the grains.

“I am sure you know that there is a total ban on smuggling of foodstuffs from the country to outside, but in this case, we need to investigate so as to ascertain the circumstances behind the development.”