Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Western Marine Command’s Anti-Smuggling Team of Comptroller Sarkin Kebbi M.M, has recorded significant seizure of smuggled good around Bawe and Akere creeks in one week.
A press statement released by the spokesman of the Command, ASC1, Emmanuel Tangwa revealed that, goods with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N7,653,948.56 (Seven million, six hundred and fifty three thousand, nine hundred and forty eight naira, fifty six kobo) were impounded as the locations were cordoned.
The statement also disclosed that due to the joint efforts and collaboration between the Western Marine Command patrol team and the Comptroller General of the Service, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) Strike Force on a 24hour surveillance of the Waterways and Creeks of Bawe/Akere, made the smugglers look confused while trying to make a cross over, jumped into the river by abandoning their loaded wooden boats, without any single resistance but losses everything to the Federal Government.
According to the Image Maker, the items intercepted includes; 571 bags of foreign parboiled rice in 50kg each as well as 49 kegs of 25 litres of vegetable oil which were unable to beat the Kebbi boys current renewed strategy meant to burst any illegal operations within their purview.
While describing the method used to dislodge the economic detractors, the Command Area Controller, Comptroller Sarkin Kebbi M.M, whose determined mission is to suppress smuggling operations, insisted that he would always give those who believe, even with their sponsors in short changing government in duty payment as a way of making livelihood, should have a rethink because this is just the beginning of continuous loss of their money invested in illegal transactions, he assured.
He said every method applied is in line with the CGC’s mandate of ensuring that smuggling trade is evacuated from the Nigerian State and uses the opportunity to commend the Officers and men who have shown total commitment, diligence, humility and dedication by staking their lives to hunt down smugglers in the forests day after day.
He therefore called on critical stakeholders to ensure vital information is released, noting that no success is ahieved without intelligence report of illegalities in society, and also urged the Maritime Media who have been playing enormous role in enlighten the general public of the dangers evolved in smuggling activities for youths who find it as a pleasure to be employed by sponsors into illegal business in the country, adding that any youths caught in the act would not be spared but prosecuted in accordance with the law, he affirmed.
Kebbi stressed that, no matter the antics employed by smugglers the boys are 24hour ready to smash any syndicate, he said.