Government intercepts 50 Niger Republic-bound food trucks in Zamfara

The Zamfara State Transport Agency has intercepted some fifty trucks conveying foodstuffs out of the country to the Niger Republic.

The agency grounded the trucks loaded with assorted grains in compliance with a presidential directive meant to arrest the prevailing food crisis and hoarding.

President Bola Tinubu last Thursday ordered the trio of Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police, and Yusuf Bichi, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, to collaborate with state governors and go after those hoarding foodstuffs.

The decision was taken during the President’s meeting with the governors in Abuja on the current food crisis, which was triggered by the increase in transportation costs after the removal of fuel subsidy, and the inability of farmers to harvest their crops because of bandits and kidnappers.

On Sunday, the Nigeria Customs Service said it stopped 15 trailers conveying foodstuff through the Sokoto borders to Niger Republic,

Also, the Kano State Government sealed 10 warehouses said to be hoarding food items.

Confirming the seizure of the 50 trucks in Zamfara, Shehu Sani, an indigene of Zurmi town in Zurmi Local Government Area of the state, said that the vehicles were stopped at Gidan Jaja village, close to the Nigerian borders with the Niger Republic.

Sale Shinkafi, the spokesman for ZARTO, alleged that the trucks were attempting to smuggle the food items to the Niger Republic.

He said, “Our men intercepted 50 vehicles loaded with assorted grains while trying to smuggle them out of the country. We directed the owners to go back and sell the commodities to Nigerians at the appropriate prices.”

According to Shinkafi, the trucks were not accompanied by the agency’s officials but were only directed to return to their respective localities and sell the commodities at affordable prices.

He said, “You know that 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.”

Commenting on the smuggling of food items out of the country, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) blamed wholesalers.

He said wholesalers were purchasing large quantities of food from local farmers and clandestinely taking these products to countries such as Niger, Cameroon, and others.

The Vice Chairman of AFAN, Lagos State chapter, Shakin Agbayewa, stated that the practice not only deprived the local market of essential food supplies but also undermined the efforts of Nigerian farmers.

Agbayewa alleged that wholesalers, driven by greed, were disrupting the domestic food supply chain and negatively impacting the livelihoods of farmers across the nation.

He accused them of creating artificial demand in the market while simultaneously sabotaging the economy.

He stated, “So, what these people do is buy farm produce from us in large quantities, store them in a warehouse, and ship them outside the country. They usually earn foreign exchange. They make more money going through this route.”

The vice chairman emphasized the need for enhanced oversight and regulatory measures to tackle these exploitative practices and protect the interests of local farmers.

He called upon security agencies to collaborate and ensure thorough investigations into the warehouses where these agricultural products are stored, intending to expose any illicit activities.

The National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kabir Ibrahim, lauded the Nigerian Customs Service for recently intercepting trucks of food.

He recommended that smugglers should be prosecuted and be made to serve life imprisonment.