Chaos as Nigerians scramble for subsidized rice

By Mark Ogagan

Chaotic scenes were witnessed as several Nigerians, on Friday, besieged the South West zonal office of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in Yaba, Lagos to purchase 25kg bags of rice as advertised the previous day.

The exercise was carried out as part of measures to arrest the soaring price of food in the country.

Reports in the local media confirmed that the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Thursday, flagged off the distribution of the seized food items to Nigerians at a discounted price of N10,000 per 25kg.

The CGC further said the distribution was part of the ongoing commitment to safeguarding the food security of Nigerians, stating that the service secured approval from the government to dispose of the seized food items to needy Nigerians.

“In recent months, the government has been addressing the challenges faced within our economy, particularly the lagged effects of insecurity and the current exchange rate issues.

Some of the items include: over 20,000 bags of assorted grains (Rice, beans, Maize, Guinea corn, millet, Soya beans, 2500 cartons and 963 bags of dried fish. Others include, Dried pepper, tomatoes, cooking oil, Maggi, Macaroni, salt, sugar, garri,” the CGC stated at the flag-off.

However, LEADERSHIP visits to the distribution points in Yaba, Lagos, saw many Nigerians trying frantically to purchase the food items.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP, a Nigerian, Bunmi Omoyele, called for more distribution points across the state.