The Ogun 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has lamented about incessant attacks on its personnel, stating that an abducted officer is still missing despite a repeated search.
The Command disclosed this in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Oloyede Hameed Bukoye, late on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, Peter Chado Kolo, during a courtesy visit to traditional rulers of border communities, used the opportunity to appeal to parents and guardians residing in border communities to prevail on their children, wards and youths to desist from such criminal acts such as smuggling and attack on security agencies.
“The CAC sought for their support in combating smuggling and urged them to educate their subjects on the menace of smuggling and further warned strongly against incessant attacks on security operatives discharging their statutory duties as that will no longer be tolerated.
“The CAC also told the traditional rulers that on several occasions, Customs officers while performing their lawful duties came under sustained harassment and attacks from daredevil smugglers and their supporters/sympathizers who use pump action riffles, AK47 rifles, local charms and other dangerous weapons.
“This sometimes result in casualties on either side or both. “For instance on the 12th of October, 2020, one officer, AIC Solomon Alagye, was killed and another officer of the Service CAI (T) Taiwo Odeyemi is still missing up till today after an attack on their patrol team on the 3rd of December, 2020 by these criminal gangs.
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“The Command wish to reiterate that the sustained attack on operatives of NCS and other sister agencies will not deter it from the continued performance of its legitimate duties in Ogun State. The Command will continue to dialogue, engage, sensitise and educate the public on social/economic implication of smuggling as well as performing a statutory function of enforcing compliance in line with government fiscal policies.”
On seizures, the Ogun 1 Command of the NCS stated that between January to December 2020, the Command seized petroleum products worth N64,212,500.00 and N1,557,500.00 in the month of January 2021, amounting to N65,770,000.00 in total.
“For seized items, between January to December 2020, the Command seized 47,601 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice each (79 trailer loads); 461 units of vehicle and means of conveyance.
“Other items include poultry products used tyres, second-hand clothing, dangerous drugs (tramadol and cannabis Sativa), palm oil, assorted soap and cream.
“In January 2021, the Command seized 6,038 bags of 50kg each and 100 bags of 25kg each of foreign parboiled rice totalling 6,138 bags (Ten trailer loads); 44 units of vehicle used as means of conveyance and 7 units of foreign used (Tokunbo) under detention.
“The Command also seized 1,382 cartons of frozen poultry products; 22,050 litres in 882kg of petroleum products (PMS); 21 bales of second-hand clothing; 1 sack of used shoes; 2 bags of textiles (wrapper); 1 carton of tomato paste; totalling 1,686 for seizures between January to December 2020 and 144 seizures for January 2021.
“The duty paid value of January to December 2020 seizures stand at N2,269,594,715.00 while that of January 2021 stands at N113,806,945.00.
“There was a remarkable increase in the number and quantities of seizures recorded in the month of January 2021. The Command was able to make these achievements due to the following steps taken by the new Customs Area Controller (CAC): Aggressive stakeholders engagement and management; Deployment of intelligence in all the operations across the state; Structural reorganisation of the Command; Improved motivation of officers by the NCS Management; Improved discipline and total dedication to duty by officers of the Command.”
Customs lament attacks in Ogun, say abducted officer still missing
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