Vice President Kashim Shettima announced on Tuesday that the Federal Government has identified 32 routes used for smuggling food items out of Nigeria, News About Nigeria reports.
Speaking at a conference on public wealth management in Abuja, Shettima revealed that 45 trucks loaded with maize were intercepted on Sunday night while attempting to reach neighbouring countries.
Shettima stated that the interception of these trucks led to an immediate impact on the price of maize, causing it to decrease by N10,000.
The Vice President said that the existence of 32 illegal smuggling routes in the Ilela axis alone underscored the need for collective efforts to address the challenges facing the nation.
While acknowledging the current challenging times in Nigeria, Shettima assured the public that the difficulties would not last forever.
He condemned people who exploit the situation to promote division and violence, stating that unity and collaborative efforts are necessary to overcome the challenges.
“We have to make this country work. We have to move beyond politics. We are now in the face of governance. Sadly, some of our countrymen are still in the political mode. They are the practitioners of violence, advocating that Nigeria should go the Lebanon way.
“But Nigeria is greater than any of us here. Nigeria will weather the storm,” Shettima stated.
The Vice President expressed concern about forces attempting to destabilise the country and urged citizens to reject divisive narratives.
He criticised those resorting to violence due to political motives and urged a focus on governance for the benefit of the nation.
Shettima called for collective efforts to overcome the challenges facing the country.
