…As Comptroller Bature Bashir reads riot act for smugglers
The Adamawa/Taraba Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has said that it intercepted Premium Motor Spirit, PMS popularly known as petrol and the means of conveyance with the Duty Paid Value, DPV of Ten Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy One Thousand, Four Hundred and Ninety Six Naira, Twenty Five Kobo (N10,871,496.25) on their way to the Republic of Cameroon.
The Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Garba Bature Bashir who disclosed this in a press conference held at the command’s headquarters in Yola, the Adamawa State capital explained that the Command Officers while on anti-smuggling operations along the command’s frontiers within the period of two weeks under his leadership had recorded five (05) incidents of interception of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) on its way to the neighbouring Republic of Cameroon.
He, however, informed that no suspect was apprehended during the operations as they abandoned the items and absconded in an attempt to circumvent arrest.
The CAC, thereafter, gave the breakdown of the seized items to include 12,435 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) packed in 491x25L and 8 x 20L Jerry Cans; one used Mitsubishi truck used in conveying the products and one used Motor Cycle also used in conveying the PMS.
He said, “The seizure of these items are in line with sections 150 and 248 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and considering the facts that the command’s territorial borders are officially closed. However, due to the inflammable nature of these PMS, it will be auctioned immediately after this briefing in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and as enshrined in Section 119 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and the proceeds accrued remitted into the Federation Account accordingly.
“Smuggling activities had done more harm than good to the nation. It hinders our national growth, strangles our trade policies with regards to revenue, foreign investment, preservation of domestic trade and growth, food security and public security. Smuggling networks are often connected to diverse illicit activities, such as money laundering, terrorism financing and human trafficking, which can disrupt national security and the rule of law.
“The Nigeria Customs Service, Adamawa/Taraba Area Command on this points, will never give up in its fight against the menace of smuggling until the command is purged of it. We want to unwaveringly tell the smugglers that our operatives are strategically reposition along the borderlines to fasten their exit out of this illicit business. We advised you renounce economic sabotage and illicit trade into and out of the Command’s territorial borders and adopt legitimate business as the Command Operatives will not rest on their oars until we stamp out smuggling across all the command borders.”
The Customs Controller also solicited the partnership of the border communities and patriotic Nigerians in providing timely intelligence that could aid their operations in getting rid of those economic scourge from the nation.
“To the transporters and oil marketers to be vigilant and patriotic in order to deny these smugglers a supply chain. And to the media personnel, please do increase awareness campaign to educate the general public on the dangers and negative impacts of smuggling on our socio-economic development”, the CAC pleaded.
He attributed the huge successes recorded so far by the command to the unwavering support and encouragement of the management of the Nigeria Customs Service under the tenacious leadership of Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR who he said had continued to give all the required backup and supply chain for their smooth anti-smuggling operations.
“We wholeheartedly appreciate his unrelenting drive for service advancement. The cooperative advantage of all the Customs Units made up of the CIU, FOU, SIS, Valuation, ICT and other security agencies are well recognised”, he added.
Photo: Comptroller Garba Bature Bashir, Customs Area Controller, Adamawa/Taraba Command addressing the Journalists during a press conference at the Command’s headquarters in Yola, Adamawa State Friday.
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