The Governments of Nigeria and Benin Republic have launched a joint operation tagged:“Hawk Descend” against smuggling of poultry products through Benin into Nigeria.
The bi-lateral agreement took place at Seme Border on Tuesday, July 7, and was witnessed by dignitaries and agencies from both countries.
Addressing the crowd at the event, the National President of Poultry Association of Nigeria, Dr Ayoola Odutan, expressed his worries over the negative effect of smuggled poultry on the Nigeria economy, especially unhealthy poultry products such as chicken and turkey. He said scientists have proved that these products are loaded with harmful micro-organisms. He also decried that contraband have increased the rate of unemployment in the poultry business in Nigeria.
The PAN boss said statistics available to the body shows that more than 80% of frozen poultry products are sold in major cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Warri, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Abuja.
He said the volume of poultry products that were smuggled into Nigeria from Europe and Benin as at 2014 stood at 164,791 tonnes.
He therefore, called on all relevant authorities to nip the ugly trend in the bud, as it costs the country about US 2.5 billion.
In addition, Controller of Customs, Seme Command, Ndalati Garuba Muhammed, called on other concerned authorities to partner with them in fighting the menace.
He said:“Seme is the busiest border in West Africa. Because of its strategic position, the Nigerian Customs Service are poised to carry out their constitutional obligations of facilitating an enabling environment for legitimate trade.”
He said their efforts through capacity development initiative and logistic support of the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Inde Dikko Abdulahi, have drastically reduced smuggling, thereby improving Customs’ revenue generation.
In his remarks, the spokesman of NAFDAC, said that a lot of people eat these smuggled products, without thinking of the hazards they pose to their health. He also warned people about the harmful effects of preservatives applied on the smuggled poultry products.
In a related development, NAFDAC has warned Nigerians on the dangers involved in the consumption of imported chicken and turkey.
