Nigerian Customs Service Sells Forfeited Rice to Residents of Yaba, Beats Others

In response to the food crisis in Nigeria and the soaring cost of living, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of Yaba Division distributed forfeited rice to the residents of Yaba on Friday.

The National Public Relations Officer for the Comptroller General of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, on Tuesday 20th of February 2024, released a press statement, making public the agency’s plan to distribute forfeited rice to the public to alleviate the detriment of food scarcity in Nigeria.

In part, the statement reads:

To alleviate the hardships faced by Nigerians and improve access to food items, the Nigeria Customs Service will facilitate the direct disposal of food items forfeited to the Federal government. These items will be fit for consumption by the relevant agencies and made available to ordinary Nigerians nationwide through equitable distribution in our Areas of Operations.

However, reports of inequitable distribution took place at the Customs Zonal Office, Yaba. During the distribution process, the Zonal office was reported to have sold half bags of rice re-bagged from the forfeited rice imports, with verification of payment through National Identification Number (NIN)

One of the beneficiaries has put to social on X app, allegedly, “They beat the shit out of us on the queue. Uniform officers were given priority. There are at least 10,000 people when I had enough, I left for home. Five hours of my time wasted,” he said.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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