Customs distributes rice worth N4bn to IDPs – Official

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has so far distributed 424,391 bags of rice worth N4 billion to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Edo States.

The Public Relations Officer of the service, Deputy Comptroller, Joseph Attah, said this in an interview with our reporter in an interview in Abuja on Wednesday.

It was reported that President Muhamnadu Buhari gave a directive to NSC to distribute some seized items including rice to IDPs in the troubled North East to ameliorate their sufferings.

Attah explained that apart from rice other seized perishable items were also distributed to IDPs in the crisis ridden areas.

He said with relative peace in the North-East, many IDPs were now returning to their ancestral homes and engaging in farming.

He pointed out that the need for these items continued to reduce while seizures of the items had made warehouses to overflow.

The Spokesperson disclosed that the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (Rtd), had obtained the Presidential nod to extend the distribution of the relief items to other IDP camps and registered orphanages across the country.

According to him, already, the list of IDPs and orphanages across the country is being compiled with a view to kick-starting the nation-wide distribution as soon as possible.

He assured that by the time NCS commenced the distribution, it would provide relief and succour to fellow Nigerians who were going through tough times in the IDP camps and orphanages.

Attah also disclosed that a total number of 238,094 (50kg) bags of rice were seized across the country by customs between January and November this year.

He reiterated the commitment of the Ali led administration to cleanse the system to boost revenue generation in the country.