Nigeria discovers 32 routes used to smuggle food

Vice President Kashim Shettima has revealed that the Nigerian government has discovered 32 routes used to illegally export food items from the country.

Shettima, while revealing this on Tuesday, added that security operatives intercepted 45 trucks filled with maize en route to neighbouring countries.

According to the Vice President, the interception of the 45 trucks has led to a drop in the price of maize in Nigeria.

“Just three nights ago, 45 trucks of maize were caught being transported to neighbouring countries,” he said during a conference on Public Wealth Management in Abuja.

“Just in that Ilela axis, there are 32 illegal smuggling routes.

“And the moment those food stuff were intercepted, the price of maize came down by N10,000. It came down from N60,000 to N50,000.”

Shettima added that there are forces that are hell-bent on undermining Nigeria as a nation.

The Vice President, however, admonished every Nigerian to come together to become a singular entity.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, has also spoken at the ongoing Public Wealth Management Conference organised by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).

Edun said that the Nigerian government is set to introduce a bill which will help reduce future borrowing by the country.