News
Quarantine service begins clampdown on food smugglers, hoarders
By Francesca Hangeior
The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service has commenced the clamped down on hoarders and smugglers of food items and other agricultural produce, as it announced the deployment of more officers to Nigeria’s land and sea borders.
It said the move was to support the Federal Government’s efforts to stabilise food prices nationwide and ensure food security in Nigeria.
“To support the Federal Government’s efforts to stabilise food prices and ensure food security, the NAQS has initiated a nationwide crackdown on the smuggling and hoarding of agricultural commodities,” the agency announced in a statement issued in Abuja.
It added, “The decisive action is part of the agency’s mandate to regulate the handling of agricultural products in Nigeria, ensuring they are safe for consumption and available at fair prices to the Nigerian populace.
“In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration, we are fully committed to ensuring that Nigerians have more food on their table, by strengthening our borders and clamping down on the smuggling of hoarded agricultural commodities.”
NAQS, according to its Establishment Act 2017, was established to prevent the entry, establishment and spread of foreign pests and diseases of plant, animal and aquatic resources and products into the country.
The agency is to also promote sanitary and phytosanitary measures as it relates to the import and export of agricultural products, to minimise the risk to agriculture, food safety and the environment.
The agency in its statement on Monday, noted that “Food security is a paramount concern for the Nigerian government, and we are committed to ensuring that agricultural commodities are not smuggled out of the country through our ports and land borders.
“We believe that our efforts to clamp down on smuggling practices will not only help to stabilise food prices but also promote transparency and fairness in the agricultural supply chain.”
It stated that more officers of the agency had been deployed to the borders to tackle the menace of food smuggling and hoarding.
“To combat the illegal smuggling and hoarding of agricultural commodities, NAQS is enhancing its surveillance and control measures at all entry and exit points.
“Officers of the agency are working tirelessly across the country’s borders and control posts, conducting rigorous inspections, and monitoring to ensure no agro commodity is exported.
“This initiative reflects a comprehensive approach to tackling some of the recent challenges facing the agricultural sector and aims to ensure food security and promote sustainable development.”
The agency’s acting Comptroller-General, Dr Godwin Audu, urged the public to report any suspicious activities related to the hoarding or smuggling of agricultural commodities.
He said community participation and collaboration were vital for the success of this campaign.
The Federal Government has intensified efforts to stop the hoarding and smuggling of food outside Nigeria following the recent astronomical hike in the cost of food items nationwide.
It could be recalled that the Nigeria Customs Service had declared that it intercepted 15 trailers that were fully loaded with food items and were heading out of the country through the Sokoto State border.
It said the trailers were stopped and the food items were returned to Nigeria, adding that this was part of measures to stabilise the prices of food items across the country in line with the mandate of the Federal Government.
Midnight fire on Saturday destroyed more than 10 shops at the Terminus Market in Jos, Plateau State.
Witnesses said that the incident occurred around 10:00 p.m., after traders had closed for the day.
The latest incident comes three months after a section of the market was gutted by a similar night fire.
Our correspondent, who visited the market on Sunday morning, reports that more than 10 shops were affected, with clothes and shoes burnt to ashes.
The cause of the fire could not be immediately confirmed by market authorities, though some victims suggested it might have been caused by an electrical fault.
Firefighters and emergency responders were said to have acted swiftly to contain the blaze, preventing what many feared could have escalated into a major disaster.
A witness, Mr. Silas Lawrenzo, said that firefighters, including a team from the National Emergency Management Agency, worked alongside the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency, Federal Fire Service, and the Plateau State Fire Service to bring the fire under control.
He said the coordinated and rapid response helped contain the flames, limiting damage and preventing the fire from spreading across the busy commercial hub.
The media reports that the market has experienced three separate fire incidents in the past year, destroying goods worth millions of naira.
The Inspector General of Police,Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has hailed the professionalism of Nigerian journalists and corrected a misconception about their roles in society cautioning that they should not be treated like beggars, instead accorded the full compliments of professionals deserving of respect
The IGP who commended Federal capital Territory journalists and sought stronger police- media partnership when he spoke as a special guest at the FCT NUJ council congress Saturday, said he has always had a mutually beneficial relationship with the media, recognising their professionalism that is deserving of respect and therefore they should never be treated as beggars
The calm and ever- smiling police chief said, “I have always had a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with journalists. They are professionals who deserve respect and should never be treated as beggars,”
Disu commended them for their role in informing the public and contributing to national development, describing his relationship with the media as one built on mutual respect and professionalism.
He emphasised that journalists should be regarded as respected professionals rather than beggars, noting that the media plays a critical role in society, while calling for stronger collaboration between the police and the media, stressing that a healthy partnership would enhance public trust and improve security communication.
The police chief further urged both police officers and journalists to conduct themselves responsibly at all times, noting that good conduct leaves lasting impressions in society.
Responding, Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, congratulated the new IGP on his appointment and described him as a longstanding friend of the press.
She expressed confidence in his leadership and assured him of the council’s readiness to collaborate with the police in reporting security matters objectively
Ike also revealed that the IGP would be invited as a special guest to the council’s 2026 Press Week celebration.
She reaffirmed the commitment of the NUJ FCT Council to promoting responsible journalism and supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening security and governance in the territory.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, was today honoured with the *Outstanding Agency of the Year Award 2025* by Champions Newspaper at its 2025 Awards ceremony held in Lagos.
The Managing Director, who was represented by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, *Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara*, described the award as recognition of his vigorous leadership in implementing smart initiatives that align with the NPA’s vision to become the *Maritime Logistics Hub for Sustainable Port Services in Africa*.
Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, the Authority’s Spokesman, highlighted the invaluable support of the *Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola*, which has been instrumental in achieving these remarkable successes. Key highlights include:
– Sustained port efficiencies contributing to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus of ₦7.5 trillion and ₦6.7 trillion in Q2 and Q3 2025 (per NBS and NESG reports), driven mainly by exports via NPA platforms.
– Successful execution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy for crude and petroleum product sales in Naira, saving billions in FOREX, enhancing energy security, improving trade balance, and creating jobs.
– Completion of Nigeria’s membership in the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), paving the way for the National Single Window (NSW) project.
– Technical guidance enabling a significant rise in transhipment cargo at Lekki Deep Seaport, serving landlocked neighbours and recovering cargo lost to competing ports.
– Pioneering election of a Nigerian agency as President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA) since 1972, with Dr. Dantsoho also leading PAPC, boosting Nigeria’s diplomatic standing and securing re-admission to IMO Category C.
These successes position NPA to deliver major 2025 projects, including the $1 billion reconstruction of Tincan Island Port Complex, rehabilitation of key ports, new deep seaport developments, and eco-friendly operations.
Champions Newspaper conferred the award in appreciation of NPA’s pivotal role as a leading trade facilitation platform driving national economic prosperity through Nigeria’s maritime endowments.
Midnight fire engulfs Jos main market destroying ten shops
Journalists are professionals deserving Respect- IGP Disu
NPA wins Champions Newspaper’s “Outstanding Agency of the Year Award 2025”
-
Economy11 hours agoCBN sets 18 as minimum age for BVN registration
-
News11 hours agoOndo community raises alarm over oil spill destroying fishing livelihoods
-
News19 hours agoTerrorists ambush patrol vehicle, k!ll 20 security operatives in Plateau
-
News22 hours agoINSECURITY: Thugs kidnap mortuary attendant, disrupt mass burial in Benue
-
Politics10 hours agoADC release 2026 nationwide congress, national convention timetable
-
News10 hours agoFuel price hike: Presidency counters Obi, says strategic reserve not solution
-
Metro11 hours ago20 Killed As Bandits Ambush Security Patrol In Plateau
-
News22 hours agoBreaking: Iran fires multiple missiles to UAE, six killed, 141 injured including Nigerians