Fifty trucks conveying foodstuffs out of the country to the Niger Republic were intercepted on Monday by the Zamfara State Transport Agency.
The agency, which was enforcing a presidential directive meant to arrest the food crisis and hoarding, grounded the trucks loaded with assorted grains.
According to The PUNCH, an indigene of Zurmi town in Zurmi Local Government Area of the state, Shehu Sani confirmed the interception of the 50 trucks in Zamfara.
He said that the vehicles were stopped at Gidan Jaja village, close to the Nigerian borders with Niger Republic.
spokesman for ZARTO, Sale Shinkafi, alleged that the trucks were attempting to smuggle the food items to the Niger Republic.
He said, “Our men intercepted 50 vehicles loaded with assorted grains while trying to smuggle them out of the country. We directed the owners to go back and sell the commodities to Nigerians at the appropriate prices.”
Shinkafi explained that the trucks were not accompanied by the agency’s officials but were only directed to return to their respective localities and sell the commodities at affordable prices.
He said, “You know that our main concern is to make sure that the food items are not smuggled out of the country. We only refused to allow them to get into Niger Republic.”
