From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Donkey Dealers Association of Nigeria has carpeted the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over alleged illegal destruction of the meat worth N42 million in Kebbi State.
Its National President, Dike Ifeanyi, in a statement at the weekend, claimed that it was the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) that was empowered by law to checkmate donkeys and confiscate if need be.
Ifeanyi argued that instead of encouraging the development of ranches and supporting breeding of donkeys which NAQS had mapped out as solution to depleting donkey population, NCS resorted to harassing and exploiting his members.
He said, “we are dealers of donkey and it’s derivatives throughout the country. Our industry has directly employed more than twenty five thousand people and one hundred and eighty thousand job created indirectly.
“The harassment by NCS is painful and counter productive, and really sad to see an industry with such economic prospect dying silently.
“The activities of the Nigerian Customs Service which incessantly impounds and arrests our members and their goods is regrettable and needs to stop. The Association is also of the view that only the Quarantine Service ( NAQS) is legally empowered for certification of all Agricultural products and as a result of it’s duty of certification of Agricultural products, NAQS should be allowed to do its job as it is done globally.”