News
Nigeria Customs Bolsters Anti-Smuggling Efforts Amid Food Crisis
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a bid to crack down on the smuggling of food out of the country, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is deploying drones and more operatives to monitor about 1,500 identified illegal border crossings, according to NCS spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada.
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This ramped up border presence complies with a presidential directive to security agencies to halt food smuggling, as Nigeria grapples with a food crisis driven by the falling Naira.
Maiwada confirmed the NCS increased monitoring across borders, including rarely patrolled illegal routes where grains are smuggled for higher profits in Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
Dozens of food trucks leaving Nigeria have already been intercepted and turned back per the president’s orders. Maiwada said drone deployment leverages the NCS Trade Modernisation Project, an approved 20-year public-private concession to equip customs with advanced technology.
The Trade Modernisation Project Ltd. will invest $3.2 billion over 20 years, generating over $200 billion in revenue, according to chairman Saleh Ahmadu. The tech upgrade will improve NCS’ capacity to combat smuggling.
While more personnel have been recruited in recent years, Maiwada could not confirm exact figures. But he stated over 2,000 officers have joined the NCS since 2019.
Maiwada admitted there is room for improvement in utilizing tech to address food smuggling. But promised imminent deployment of non-intrusive inspection systems across borders to enhance examination of commercial traffic.
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The NCS recently reported intercepting 15 smuggler trucks fully loaded with food items near the Sokoto border. Officials say boosted border surveillance will help curb the bleeding of scarce food supplies.
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