Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Ogun Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has seized 12,720 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 143 sacks of cannabis sativa, 583 used tyres, 550 jerrycans of petrol, 446 kegs of vegetable oil and other prohibited items which were smuggled through the Idiroko Border into the country.
The seizures which were made known by the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Michael Ojo Agbara, disclosed that except the economic saboteurs refrain from transacting illegalities within his purview, they will give them a chase for their money ensuring that it would always be a frustrating efforts by smugglers.
The Comptroller further revealed that, the unprecedented seizures made by his Anti-smuggling operatives revealed amounted to the sum of N438.9 million, adding that the feat demonstrated within the period of its remarkable revenue drive resulted to what was collected in the first quarter between January and March 2019 by recording well over N3.2billion.
He warned smugglers that, even though the operatives made seizures of vehiculars and motorcycles among the seizures, there would be no hidden place for smugglers, due to the new patrol strategy explored by the Command in line with the CGC’s directive against illegal perpetrators bent on derailing the nation economy.
He however, commended the efforts of his officers bravery in combating crime that has refused to stop, saying that though smuggling activities within the border posts still persist, his operatives alongside other sister agencies would ensure every attempt by smugglers are thwarted, arrested and charged to court for onward prosecution, he affirmed.