From Anthony Nwachukwu, Lagos
Sequel to President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has released in aid of the Nigerian masses, seized rice and other edibles worth about N3.3 billion.
The release of the items, which had been solely dedicated to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), is meant to cushion the effect of the lockdown to curtail the spread of the deadly Coronairus (Covid-19) across the nation.
The relief items, according to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Handed Ali (rtd), include 46,000 metric tons (94,800x50kg bags) of foreign parboiled rice and 251 metric tons of (36,495 kegs) of vegetable oil.
The others are 3,428 kegs of palm oil, 136,705 cartons of tomato paste, 2,951 cartons and 1,253 packets of spaghetti/noodles, as well as 828 bales Ankara fabric and 2,300 rolls of lace fabric.
Estimated market value of these items is N3.3 billion, with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N2.03 billion.
Ali, in a statement on Tuesday by the NCS National Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, disclosed that some Nigerians had been calling on the agency to “share seized rice and other edible items to members of the public.”
According to him, “while some of these calls appear well intended, others had attempted to create the impression that customs officers have the liberty to use seized items as they deem fit.
“Some even mischievously implied that the items may have already been shared to cronies. Nothing can be further from the truth.”
Ali explained that seized items, in line with section 167(2) of CEMA CAP C45 LFN 2004, are kept in government warehouses pending directive on its disposal, subject to their condemnation and forfeiture to government by a competent court.
Following Buhari’s directive, therefore, Ali has “approved the release of the relief items to boost government’s continuous efforts to alleviate the sufferings associated with the ongoing painful but necessary lockdown in parts of the country.”
Meanwhile, to allay fears about the quality of the seized rice, he stated that “only edible items certified fit for human consumption by NAFDAC will be released to the public.”
The clarification become necessary as he, while justifying their seizures in the past in preference for local rice, had condemned the foreign parboiled rice as poisonous and unfit for consumption, having stayed too long in storage abroad before arriving Nigeria.
The CGC restated the agency’s commitment to “strictly adhering to all extant laws governing seized and overtime cargoes.
“Despite the prevailing risks, the service will continue to discharge its functions of securing the land borders and collection of revenue needed during and post-Covid- 19 pandemic period.”
He further urged all officers and men to remain focused on service delivery, reminding them and all Nigerians of the need to obey all government and medical experts’ directives on ways to stop the spread of the deadly virus.
