Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike (middle), during a meeting with stakeholders on road projects in Onne, near Port Harcourt, last Saturday

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dr. Abdullahi Inde Dikko has declared total war against the importation of frozen poultry products into the country.
Speaking at the official launching of operation “Hawk Deseend” on Tuesday in Lagos, the visibly angry Comptroller Dikko stated that the evil perpetrated by the importers of these deadly products can be no longer tolerated.
“As I step back to the beautiful sandy beach of this historic and strategic gateway, I cannot help but connect the driving objective of my previous stay and my mission of today. It is to flag off an operation in a familiar terrain.
The objective is the same. It is about national economic development and security”, the customs boss said.
The customs boss said the official launch of a special operation code named “Hawk Descend” to fire the first shot in a war against smuggling of frozen chicken, turkey and other poultry products.
He further explained that the operation will be conducted in the South Western border axis, covering commends and patrols in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States, adding that it will be for an initial period of 3 months, 9July – September, 2015).
“The operation, whose driving objective is to achieve national food security and protection of Nigerian economy against saboteurs will involve a zero tolerance against smuggling of frozen poultry products.
During this period, our operatives will intercept smuggled products, seize and destroy them in line with the provision of extant laws and regulations”, Dikko posited.
“Like the wayward chic, there will be no hiding place for smuggled chicken in our land. Our hawks will descend and mop them out of circulations”.
Earlier in his address, the National President, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Dr. Ayoola Oduntan said the association is pleased with the leadership and management of the Nigeria customs service (NCS) and the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on the occasion of the launching of operation. “Hawk descend” as an onslaught on the continued smuggling of imported but smuggled poultry products from the republic of Benin into Nigeria.
“We are concerned and worried more as the results of independent research on smuggled products in the Nigerian markets revealed that imported poultry meat (particularly chicken and turkey) are loaded with microbes linking salmonella spp with the imported, but smuggled poultry meant into Nigerian markets”.
“The above pose grave dangers to consumers, the handlers and the environment thereby causing great VFC threat to public health, oduntan declared.
One other issue that made the outright ban topical was the alleged role of some northern cabals whose farms produces the highest number of chicken and turkey in the country.
This alleged involvement by some northern cabals has been viewed by many as a way of promoting shrewd capitalism as well as killing competition, free market economy and by implication, promoting monopoly.
The government had tried to justify the ban by arguing that frozen turkey and chickens are preserved with dangerous chemicals that fall under the salmonella spp. The government also arued that apart from the imminent health hazards constituted to the people by the depleting SPP, the ban was also in line with the federal government policy of trying to protect the local industries.
Similarly, no economy can grow in true sense of growing when the sector (manufacturing0 is over burdened by importation of foreign made items to compete with their local counterparts.
This arguments therefore justifies government’s intention to protect the local industry especially if such intentions are genuine and sincere.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic – Lagos