Over 4,000 benefit from sale of seized rice by Customs in Lagos

Over 4,000 Nigerians including physical challenged persons, benefitted from the sale of rice seized by the Nigeria Customs Service as it launched the distribution exercise in Lagos on Friday.

The initiative, involved the sale of 25kg bag of rice at a subsidized rate of N10,000, with beneficiaries required to possess a National Identification Number (NIN).

The distribution exercise commenced at 8.00 a.m. with support of the security agencies including Nigerian Police, DSS, Nigerian Army, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) among others.

Some of the beneficiaries including artisans, teachers, religious bodies who spoke with journalists expressed their appreciation to the NCS for the initiative.

One for the beneficiaries, Mr. Taiwo Lawal, a physical challenged person, busted in tears why appreciating the federal government for considering them in the distributing of the food items.

“This have never happened in the history of Nigeria where majority of Nigerians will benefit from relief items genuinely without preference.

“If Government engage more of this gesture price of good will reduce for common people to afford,” Lawal said.

A visually impaired individual, Mrs Amdalat Balogun, said she got the news from radio and quickly borrowed N10,000 from her neighbour to enable her benefits from the rice.

Balogun said she bought the rice because of Ramadan fasting and appreciated the initiator as well as the federal government.

She also pleaded with government to improve more of the subsidised food to sustained the livelihood of the ordinary Nigerians.

The Chief Imam of Magodo Phase 2, Central Mosque, Imam Abdul-Semiu Kelani, said that the government gesture would go a long way to ease the poverty level on Nigerian during the hardship period in the country.

The Vice Chairman, Airport Branch of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Fatai Sulaimon, said that the subsidies food items would go a long way in reducing hunger in the country.

Despite the crowd outside the customs premises during the distribution, the process was commended for its generosity and orderliness.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, pleaded with beneficiaries not to divert the foodstuffs to the market, reiterating the government’s mandate to provide for the less privileged.

He assured Nigerians that similar initiatives would be carried out in customs commands across the country.