The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service has intensified its efforts to combat hoarding and smuggling of food items and agricultural produce by deploying additional officers to both land and sea borders.
In a statement released on Monday, the agency underscored its commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s initiatives aimed at stabilizing food prices nationwide and ensuring food security for all citizens.
The NAQS emphasized that its crackdown on smuggling and hoarding aligns with its mandate to regulate the handling of agricultural products in Nigeria, ensuring their safety for consumption and availability at fair prices to the 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,” the statement read.
Established in 2017, NAQS is tasked with preventing the entry, establishment, and spread of foreign pests and diseases of plant, animal, and aquatic resources and products into the country.
To address the challenges posed by food smuggling and hoarding, NAQS has bolstered its surveillance and control measures at all entry and exit points across the nation. The agency’s officers are actively engaged in rigorous inspections and monitoring to prevent the illegal exportation of agricultural commodities.
Dr. Godwin Audu, the agency’s acting Comptroller-General, urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to the hoarding or smuggling of agricultural commodities.
Recently, the Nigeria Customs Service intercepted 15 trailers fully loaded with food items attempting to leave the country via the Sokoto State border.
The intercepted food items were promptly returned to Nigeria as part of measures to stabilize food prices nationwide, consistent with the Federal Government’s mandate.
