Says 24 million Nigerians currently in food crisis
Customs intercepts 880 bags of beans, 584 bags of onions, others
About 31.5 million people, including 83,846 IDPs in 26 states and the FCT, are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August 2024, a report, Cadre Harmonisé, has said.
The report also stated that 24.7 million people including 14,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will be in food crisis or worse between March and May 2024.
Cadre Harmonisé is a food and nutrition insecurity analysis by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with technical partners including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Analysiing the result further, it noted that about 1.1 million people in Adamawa State are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August 2024, and about 2.1 million people in Borno are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August this year, while 1.5 million people in Yobe are expected to be in crisis or worse between June and August this year.
Also, deteriorated food consumption situation was also observed among populations in the inaccessible areas and the IDPs in Adanawa, Borno, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
It noted that the deteriorating food consumption results from a significant spike in food prices due to high production and transportation costs caused by the removal of fuel subsidies and its resultant impact on inflation and consumer price index rates on both food and basic non-food items.
The report noted that the high cost of transport, inflation rate, and the volatile dollar-naira exchange rate have negatively affected households’ income.
In the projected period (June to August 2024), poor microeconomic conditions and conflicts are expected to drive limited access to livelihood opportunities.
“The nutrition situation in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) and northwest states of Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara revealed the prevalence of malnutrition for Under-5 children to be in crisis in the current situation.
However, the report said key drivers of the crisis include conflict and insecurity, fuel scarcity, naira devaluation currency crisis, and rising inflation and Consumer Price Index (CPI) rates.
In his remarks, Country Representative of the FAO to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Koffy Kouacou Dominique, said the FAO will continue to support the Cadre Harmonisé process, especially in terms of funding as well as technical support and capacity building, across the country.
Dominique, who was represented by the Deputy FAO Country Representative, Suleiman Abubakar, said the Cadre Harmonisé analysis produces the most reliable and widely acceptable data/results for humanitarian programming and food security.
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Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Temitope Fashedemi, who was represented by the Director of Special duties, Adedayo Modupe, said the government has put machinery in place to address the challenges to food and nutrition insecurity.
Meanwhile, the Seme border command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’, Ikeja has intercepted 880 bags of white beans, 584 bags of onions and 400 sacks of grains on the verge of being smuggled into Benin Republic.
The unit also intercepted export bound trucks loaded with 18 bags of dry pepper at Ajilete/Idiroko Road in Ogun State.
During a press briefing in Lagos yesterday, its Area Controller, Hussein Ejibunu, said instead of seizing the food items, the unit ensured the trucks were re-directed to the Nigerian markets where they were sold to Nigerians by the owners.
The Customs chief also raised the alarm over smugglers new defined means of smuggling foreign parboiled rice in petroleum Jerry cans.
According to him, the act is not only illegal but also exposes the potential consumers to the risk of eating contaminated grains that have ingested poisonous properties possibly from premium motor spirit (PMS), diesel or other petroleum products.
“Due to violation of various sections of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, and the federal government import and export prohibition guidelines, we vigorously and relentlessly prosecuted our anti-smuggling campaign which resulted in a total number of 93 seizures, arrest of nine suspects made to prevent smuggling and protect our national economy. The seizures made are worth a total duty paid value of N751.1million.
“As usual, rice was top on the list of our February 2024 seizures in terms of volume and value. A total of 3,779 X 50kg bags of suspected foreign rice equivalent to over seven trailer loads worth over N365 million were seized from various parts of the South West.
“Other items seized in the month under review include one locally made gun and six pieces of empty cartridges at Abeokuta road, 731 parcels of Indian hemp weighing 482kg, 1 X 40ft container found to contain 286 cartons of new rubber slippers, seven units of used motorcycles, 28,000 litres of premium motor spirit (PMS) and 2,420 pieces of used tyres.
“Worthy of note is the interception of export bound three trucks headed to the Republic of Benin laden with 880 bags of white beans, 584 bags of onions and 18 bags of dry pepper at Ajilete/Idiroko road in Ogun state.
“Instead of seizing the food items, this Unit ensured the trucks were re-directed to the Nigerian markets where they were sold to Nigerians by the owners. The seizures made are worth a total duty paid value of N751.1million,” he stated.
Ejibunu also disclosed that N78.16 million was recovered as revenue into the federation account through the issuance of Demand Notice (DN) on Customs duties that were discovered to be underpaid.
“We also prevented the smuggling of eleven exotic used vehicles worth over N200 million into the country through our area of responsibility. Smugglers of these vehicles met our stiff resistance against their duty evasion and deviant behaviour.”
Ejibunu added that the “sum of N78,164,255.20 was recovered as revenue into the federation account through the issuance of demand notices (DN) on Customs duties that were discovered to be underpaid.
“These outcomes were achieved despite the unrepentant behaviour of economic saboteurs who deploy many tricks and antics to beat our checks but they failed.
As we approach the Easter celebration, he said, “we have strengthened our intelligence-led anti-smuggling operations strategies to forestall any attempt by smugglers and duty evaders to circumvent the law.”