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Residents of border communities in Ogun State have called for a review of the Federal Government’s policy banning food imports into Nigeria.
In a statement released on Saturday, some indigenes under the aegis of the Yewa Youths Progressive Movement stated that Ogun Westerners are predominantly farmers, traders, and business owners, not smugglers.
The statement, jointly signed by its Chairman and Publicity Secretary, Adeoye Akinola and Sunday Adeyemi, respectively, said, “The border communities have grown from being havens for smugglers who thronged the areas from across the country to locations where legitimate inter-border businesses now thrive.”
The YYPM further stated that after the immediate past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari announced a ban on rice imports via land borders, traders and residents in the border communities quickly diversified into other forms of business.
The statement revealed that several entrepreneurs in the region invested heavily in cultivating and producing local rice, aligning with the Federal Government’s policy of promoting homegrown food.
The group added, “Residents of these border communities, especially the youth, have continued to collaborate with the Nigerian Customs Service to curb smuggling and other inter-border economic sabotage.”
Similarly, a non-governmental organisation, Vanguard of Liberty & Social Justice, criticised the food importation ban, arguing that it has failed to positively impact Nigeria’s economy or improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
The group condemned social media reports labelling Ogun border residents as smugglers, stating that such claims are detrimental to national unity during these challenging times.
According to a statement by the group’s National Coordinator, Olugbenle Fadina, “The current economic situation in Nigeria, where inflation is at a ‘galloping stage,’ has impoverished the majority of households.
“The intensity of hunger in Nigeria is extremely alarming and unbearable, making life meaningless for many Nigerians and calling for urgent measures to ease the mounting tension.
“The Federal Government’s policy banning foreign goods, especially food items, has not yielded positive results for the critical sectors of the Nigerian economy or the welfare of ordinary Nigerians. There is an urgent need to review this policy, which appears irrational and outdated.”
The group urged the media to report on the plight of border residents and hold the government accountable, emphasising the need for journalism to prioritise the common good.
“The salient question remains: how has the average Nigerian benefited from the Federal Government’s policy on food importation? How does importing food threaten national security and welfare?” the statement queried.
The group concluded by calling for pressure on the government to reverse its “illogical” food importation policy in the face of widespread hunger.
