Farmers want FG to tackle poultry products’ smuggling

poultry products’

Poultry and Livestock Farmers Association of Nigeria (POLFAN), Lagos Chapter, has called on the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Alli (rtd.) and all relevant security agencies to tackle smugglers of contraband poultry products, who they alleged, are currently on ‘Yuletide rampage’.

They said that the alleged smugglers are currently taking advantage of the ‘Christmas rush’ to criminally distribute across the country, several tons of imported poisonous frozen poultry products, especially turkey and chicken, which unsuspecting and hapless Nigerians consume ignorantly.

While addressing journalists in Lagos last recently, President of POLFAN, Lagos branch, Fatiu Ajero, called on the CG of Customs to save the country from experiencing what he called, lethal Christmas and New Year season.

Ajero pointed out that the rate at which Nigerians consume chicken and Turkey during festive periods, is a clear pointer to the fact that, except the criminals are stopped immediately, that many Nigerians may likely find themselves at hospital beds after consuming the imported products during the Yuletide feast.

The POLFAN had recently commended Col Alli (Rtd) and men of the Lagos Customs, for the renewed onslaught of the Lagos Customs Command against smugglers of illicit poultry products. But according to him, the need for the current appeal became necessary because, after lying low for a while, the smugglers returned to their evil business in full force and renewed strategies. He explained that top on their latest strategy is moving their illicit products in convoy of trucks at nights especially during weekends, to the South East, South-South and Abuja.

“We are crying out because following the determined onslaught of the Lagos Customs Command in recent times, the smugglers lied low for a while. But now, they are on Christmas rampage. They move several tons of smuggled deadly frozen chicken and turkey, through several porous points in Ogun State  and come out at Sagamu and Ore, thereby completely avoiding Customs personnel from Lagos area,” he said.

Ajero further claimed that POLFAN had recently alerted the Customs CG and all relevant agencies that the smugglers changed tactics repeatedly, adding that the association  as well urged Col Alli (rtd) to keep an eye on the Zone C’ Customs Area Command.

The farmers further alleged that the smugglers usually influence corrupt operatives of the Nigeria Customs with as much as N400, 000 and N500, 000 per 40ft container load of contraband poultry products, and N200, 000 to N250, 000 per 20ft container load, respectively; stressing that the smugglers move about 20 to 40 containers from various exit points in Ogun state weekly.

According to the POLFAN Secretary, Alex Igwe, while buttressing Ajero’s submission, the association had drawn the attention of NCS and all relevant agencies to the latest strategy being employed by the smugglers.

He said they had as well disclosed how the smugglers were moving tons of the contraband goods, in fleets of convoys at night and on weekends, to various states in the South East and South South, with wicked collaboration of men of the Zone C’ Federal Operations Unit, adding that, “but as we speak, it is still business at its highest peak”.

“For the avoidance of doubts, as an association, we again urge the hardworking CG Ali, to keep an eye on the Zone C’ Customs Area Command, which according to our impeccable investigations, are being  influenced by the smugglers, by proxy, and in advance, to accord them free access while on transit”, he said.

NAFDAC DG, Dr. Paul Orhii, had recently alerted Nigerians country on the dangers of consuming imported poultry products and warned that such meat contained high level of metals and other killer-substances that could cause dangerous diseases, such as nasal cancer, neurotoxicity, skin disorders and cardiovascular diseases, among others.

Also, the renewed push by the NCS had recently yielded profound results, with major confiscations of several thousand cartons of contraband frozen poultry products seized from smugglers, one of which was the recent seizure and destruction of over 200 cartons of frozen poultry products from suspected smugglers on a speed boat along Badagry waterways.

“We had requested that the CG should collaborate with major GSM service providers in the country to provide memorable toll-free lines for the general public to call in and alert both the national headquarters and subsidiary commands of any smuggling deals so they can swoop upon them on point,” Igwe said.