The Nigeria Customs Service has introduced the National Identity Number as a mandatory requirement for collecting seized food items distributed across the country, aiming to address food scarcity challenges exacerbated by the massive outflow of food items to neighboring countries.

Customs officials commenced the distribution of seized food items to vulnerable Nigerians on Thursday, with the Comptroller General of Customs, Wale Adeniyi, leading the flag-off ceremony at the Zone A Command of the Service in Lagos. The distributed items are part of the goods seized by the Customs in recent operations.

Expressing concern over the significant outflow of food items, CGC Adeniyi identified the trend as a threat to Nigeria’s food security. He emphasized the importance of fulfilling sufficiency internally before allowing the export of any item.

“To address this, the NCS has remained responsive in carrying out its mandate to protect our borders from the inflow and outflow of restricted goods,” stated CGC Adeniyi.

As part of their commitment to safeguarding food security, the NCS secured government approval to sell the seized food items to needy Nigerians at discounted prices, specifically N10,000 per 25kg bag of rice. The initiative aims to directly reach out to members through organized structures to maximize its impact.

To ensure the integrity and security of the initiative, comprehensive measures have been put in place, including robust security protocols throughout the process. The NCS will closely monitor the entire supply chain to prevent misuse or diversion of the food items.

CGC Adeniyi emphasized that beneficiaries should understand that the distributed items are not for resale, taking a strong stance against any form of profiteering or exploitation of the initiative. The NCS encourages Nigerians to report any incidents of misuse or unauthorized resale, promising transparency, accountability, and decisive action against violations.

“We urge Nigerians to report any incidents of misuse or unauthorized resale of the seized food items. NCS is fully committed to transparency and accountability in this process, and we will not hesitate to take decisive action against any individuals or entities found to be in violation of the terms of this program,” CGC Adeniyi concluded.