Expired Indian Rice : Lawyer Demands Resignation Of Minister, Customs, FCCPC Boss

From Paul Orude Bauchi

A Bauchi based legal practitioner, Barrister Mohammed Akassim, has called for the immediate resignation of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, and head of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), over the sale of expired rice imported from Indian to Nigerians.

Alkassim made this known in a statement he issued to journalists in Bauchi, a copy made available to Metoric Post, on Friday.

Barrister Alkassim Demands Minister, Customs, FCCPC Boss To Resign Over Sale Of Expired Rice

“It is a known fact that eating expired food may go a long way to affect the health of Nigerians and the immediate consequences of eating expired food is death,” he stated.

“The Federal Government particularly the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security should take responsibility of any death occasioned from the consumption of the expired Government subsidised Rice.   

“President Bola Tinubu must urgent action by deploying other security agencies to various local market to inspect the sales of the expired Government subsidized Rice and people may take advantage of re-bagging the same rice.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister, Abubakar Kyari Urged To Resign Over Expired Rice

“I write to share my concern as one of the beneficiaries over the distribution of expired G.K.S RICE (an Indian Long Grain Rice) of 50Kg across the nation by the Federal Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture,” he stated.

“It is not in dispute that President BOLA AHMAD TINUBU led government had made promises to the citizen of Nigeria to provide a sustainable means of livelihood, food security and wellbeing of its citizens.

“The exercise /programme was prominent and widely circulated in the country among Public Servants, Organized Associations and so on as the beneficiaries of the Federal Government intervention program to provide 50kg bags of rice at subsidized price of N40,000.00(Forty Thousand Naira) Only.

Adeniyi, Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service Told To Resign Over Importation of Expired Rice

“The beneficiaries accepted the program in good faith even agitating for continuity of the said program to quench the rate of hunger in the country.

“As a beneficiary, the information of the programme came through the NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION, Bauchi Branch WhatsApp platform to wit:

‘Federal Government Intervention               

Good evening San learned senior  and colleague this is to notify you about the the federal government programe/intervention,providing bags of rice at subsidised price to public servants and organised private organisations including NBA. The beneficiaries will pay #40,000.00 only on the cost of one bag allocated to him.

Some bags are allocated to NBA Bauchi Branch. Interested member can access one bag by paying the #40,000. Only into federal government designated account after  your NIN and lawyers ID are being verified and captured by the federal government capturing team. Therefore the data capturing will be conducted in Barr Centre on 7th April, 2025 10:00 am.

Whoever is interested should contact me privately latest by 9pm of today (6/04/25) and it is a first come, first served basis’.

“The Federal Government Federal Government in an attempt to ensure transparency and accountability have developed payment accounting system as” SUBSIDIZED RICE PROCEED ACCOUNT” under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

Olatunji Bello, head, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC)

“As a beneficiary I paid the sum N40,000.00(Forty Thousand Naira) in  the said account vide Moniepoint provided by the Federal Government with the following details FGN/OAGF/FMAFS/ Subsidized proceed account, Federal Ministry of Agriculture with the following receipt no.0000000554  after rigors verification of my National Identification Number. Another receipt was issued to dated 8^th April,2025 with the following number:G03813296.

“The Federal Government Subsidized Rice contained the following information to justify the claim of distributing of expired Rice.

Production date: February,2022.

Expired Date: February,2025.

Lot No.02/2022.

“It is a known facts that eating expired food may go a long way to affect the health of Nigerians and the immediate consequences of eating expired food is death.

“The Federal Government particularly the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security should take responsibilities of any death occasioned from the consumption of the expired Government subsidized Rice”

Alkassim urged the the Federal Government to explain to Nigerians why the distribution of expired Rice across the nation, stop the process and withdraw all remaining expired undistributed subsidized Rice across the nation within 24hours to avoid litigation.

“The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security should resign for being incompetent by betraying Nigerians over the distributions of expired subsidized Government Rice,” he said.

“The Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Service should resign for allowing expired Rice into the country.

“The Federal Government should direct the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC to examine the health effect of the consumption of the expired Government subsidized Rice on citizens of Nigeria.

“Fellow Nigerian this is a wakeup call, you must stand up to hold your leaders accountable for their actions.  It important to draw the attention of the National Security Adviser, the Director General DSS, the Inspector General of Police, the Commandant-General NSCDC and other stakeholder should take note”