Customs: 95 suspects arrested, over N2 billion generated as revenue
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, said it arrested 95 suspects between January and July for various smuggling activities and generated over N2 billion as revenue within the given period.
The Controller of the unit, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba, who disclosed this via a press statement issued on Sunday stated that the intensified effort of men from the unit led to the interception of various contrabands and revenue generation.
According to him, “following the intensified effort, the unit through its interventions intercepted contraband goods with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.3billion. The unit also recovered another N1.3billion from duty payments and demand notices on general goods that tried to beat the system from seaports, airport and border stations through wrong classification, transfer of value, and shortchange in duty payment that are meant for the Federal Government of Nigeria, making a cumulative of N2.6billion
475 different seizures were recorded comprising foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, vegetable oil, smuggled vehicles, Indian hemp, arms, fake pharmaceutical/medicaments and various general merchandise. 95 suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizures.”
Comptroller Uba commended the commitment and diligence of the Officers and Men of the FOU ‘A’ for thwarting the antics of some dare devil smugglers who used different methods for concealment. He charged all his officers to be professional and diligent in performing their statutory responsibilities; most especially in the area of anti-smuggling operations by making sure all revenue linkages are blocked.
He said, “Smuggling is a global phenomenon, which cannot be curbed entirely but can be brought to its barest minimum. This feat was not unconnected with the courtesy calls he paid to some key stakeholders most especially sister security agencies within our areas of jurisdiction comprising the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Lagos; Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Cantonment Ikeja; Commander, 35 Artillery, Nigerian Army, Alamala Baracks Abeokuta, Ogun state; Ogun and Lagos state Commissioners of Police, where he seeks for their continuous support and cooperation towards winning the war against smuggling.”
Speaking further, he called on all the membersof the fourth estate of the realm and the general public to continue the partnership with Nigeria Customs Service in the advocacy campaign against the evil of smuggling to the nation’s economy and provides necessary intelligence that could assist the NCS.
He also thanked the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and the entire Management Team of the Nigeria Customs Service for their efforts in recognizing hard work and putting square begs in square holes. Without the Management motivation and necessary logistic support, we won’t have achieved this feat within this period.
