The Ogun 1 Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that its officers impounded 4,138 (50kg) bags of smuggled rice and 592 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the month of August.
The command also confirmed the seizure of 830 cartons of frozen poultry products, 15 vehicles, used foreign clothes, bags, shoes, illicit drugs and others.
In the month under review, the NCS in Ogun put the cumulative duty paid value of all its seizures at N72,589,473.
At a press conference on Thursday, the Commands Controller, Peter Kolo, stated that the command generated a sum of N1,997,500 from the auction of seized petroleum products and scrap metals, saying the Ogun State borders are still closed to Customs operations.
“The command has made significant progress in its anti-smuggling operations in the State during the month of August 2021, with a total record of 95 seizures comprising 4,138 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each, 830 cartons of frozen poultry products, 15 units of both foreign used vehicles and means of conveyance, six sacks of cannabis Sativa and other illicit drugs, 6 bales and 15 sacks of used/second-hand clothing, six sacks and 90 pieces of used handbags, 16 sack and 34 pairs of used shoes, 592 kegs of petroleum products of 25 litres each made for smuggling outside the country and many other items,” Kolo explained.
While commending the gallantry of all his officers “in the face of sustained intimidation and unwarranted attacks by desperate daredevil smugglers”, the Customs CAC urged them to maintain a high level of professionalism in carrying out their statutory duties.
Kolo also appreciated sister security agencies, traditional rulers and other critical stakeholders for “their synergy and collaboration with the NCS.”
He added that 20 suspected smugglers had been dragged to court over the illegal importation of contrabands.
He spoke further that the campaign of calumny and blackmail against the command by some students or any other group and their sponsors “will not discourage our resolve to succeed in the battle against enemies of the state.
Recall that the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali, had blamed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the high rate of smuggling of fuel across Nigerian borders.
The Customs CG said he had on many occasions proposed to the NNPC to establish petroleum retail outlets in neighbouring countries to curtail smuggling of fuel but that the state oil company repeatedly ignored the proposals.
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