The Federal Operations Unit Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has said that it has recorded seizures of assorted goods valued at over fifty million (N50, 000,000) naira in one week.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Unit, Comptroller Sani Jubrin Maidugu who disclosed this in a maiden press briefing he held recently at the Unit’s Headquarters in Lagos to announce his arrival as the Controller of the unit also stated that the Unit under his watch was deeply committed to eradicating smuggling along the nooks and crannies of area under their watch adding, “We are committed to intelligence led Customs operations and this entails partnership with patriotic Nigerians”.
Maidugu gave a breakdown of the seized goods to include; 239 (two hundred and thirty nine) bales of second hand clothing valued at ten million, thirty eight thousand naira (N10,038,000.00) only, 1,120 (one thousand, one hundred and twenty) cartons of 950MW generators valued at thirteen million, four hundred and forty thousand naira (N13,440,000.00) only and 1,822 (one thousand, eight hundred and twenty two) bags valued at eleven million, eight hundred and forty three thousand naira (N11,843,000.00) only.
Others are; 336 (three hundred and thirty six) jerricans of thirty six (36) cartons of vegetable oil valued at two million, four hundred and twenty one thousand, nine hundred naira (N2,421,900.00) only, 1,138 (one thousand, one hundred and thirty eight) cartons of frozen Poultry products valued at six million, eight hundred and twenty eight thousand naira (N6,828,000.00) only and 42 (forty two) parcels of Indian hemps valued at two million, sixteen thousand naira (N2,016,000.00) only.
According to him, ”In line with service protocol, the 42 (forty two) parcels of Indian hemp would be handed over to the appropriate agency of the Federal Government – namely the NDLEA. This compelling gesture became pertinent in view of the need to enhance operational synergy with various agencies of Government for a sustained relationship.
“Generally speaking and in totality, the Unit recorded four thousand, seven hundred and thirty three (4,733) different remarkable Seizures, Valued at forty five million, five hundred and eighty six thousand, nine hundred naira (N45,586,900.00) in just one week of my resumption. This portrays a lot of hope and expectation for the Unit and Service in general. I will not rest on my oars.
“I am happy to inform you that in the early hours of today, a patrol team led by Deputy Superintendent of Customs Jude Ohagwu intercepted a truck with one hundred and thirty eight (138) bales of used clothings valued at five million, seven hundred and ninety six thousand naira (N5, 796, 000. 00) only, ninety eight (98) pieces of used compressors valued at nine hundred and eighty thousand naira (N980, 000. 00) only.
“Cumulatively, the Unit raked in the sum fifty two million, three hundred and sixty two thousand, nine hundred naira (N52, 362, 900.00) only, from all the seizures recorded in one (1) week inclusive of the latest Seizure.
“We also apprehended some suspects in connection with these seizures who we are currently investigating”.
The CAC observed that as a way of ensuring that very decisive steps were taken to decimate the smugglers, the Unit had adopted several operational modalities for the actualization of expected results.
“Part of this includes but not limited to an all inclusive methodology involving the communities where we operate. We made frantic efforts to improve on the Customs Community Relationship (CCR) as well as synergy and collaboration with critical stakeholders. We believe that smuggling just like scavenging is a global phenomenon which requires the cooperation of all Nigerians particularly the media.
“I believe that the press has a role to play in this campaign and I enjoin you to partner with us through mass education on the dangers of smuggling”, he said.
He noted that the Unit was strategizing on how to fully block the supply chains of the smugglers with a view to ensuring degradation of their antics adding that they have a responsibility to ensure that Nigeria was not used as a dumping ground for uncustomed goods and that their resolve in this regard was sacrosanct and unshakable.
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