Operators of non-existing ophanages on Friday besieged Customs Service area office in Minna to benefit from the Federal Government’s free rice being distributed by the service.
The Customs Service Public Relations Offer, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, made this known to newsmen during the exercise in Minna.
”We want to be just and transparent by the terms of reference given to us by the Federal Government to distribute these items to the Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs), ophanages and other vulnerable people.
”What we have experienced so far show clearly that some people here are fake, going by the document or facility they declared.
”Imagine someone who told us that he operates an orphanage, taking us to a Mosque.
”When we asked questions he told us that he helps the less privileged people,” he said.
Attah, who was represented by a Deputy Superintendent, Kadiri Angulu, said that there are many impostors.
He said some of them submitted applications, adding that justice would be done to ensure that only the vulnerable get the rice and vegetable oil.
”We received 58 applications but we have verified and authenticated six out of the 30 applications attended to,” he said.
He said that the Area Command, which comprises of Niger, Kwara and Kogi has 12, 000 bags of assorted rice and vegetable oil to give out.
”All verified and qualified persons will get a fair share of the items,” he said.
The Customs image maker said that the taskforce would pay for the cost of transporting the items to the beneficiaries.
Earlier, a woman, who refused to disclose her name to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that she was a business woman who came to purchase auction rice from customs.
Also, Hajiya Mama Wakili, Officer incharge of government ophanage in Minna confirmed that 150 bags of rice was allocated to the home.
”I am here to sign for the items allocated to us and inspect them before delivery,” she said.
The presidential taskforce visited the IDPs camp in Zungeru and Government Ophanages in Minna where the team allocated 250 and 150 bags of rice to them respectively.
The two day exercise, which started on April 11 would end on Friday, April 12, when the presidential taskforce would leave for Kwara command for the same exercise.
Some private Orphanages within Niger, Kaduna and Abuja were at the area command in Minna to benefit from the gesture.