Customs to raid more textile shops in Nigeria

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has denied any wrong-doing in the recent raid on some shops in Yaba, Lagos, stating that the action is backed by law. This is as it revealed that in the coming weeks, similar raids will be carried out on clothing shops scattered across the country.

According to the Spokesman of Operation Swift Response, DC Joseph Attah, who is also the Spokesman of the NCS, the raid on Yaba shops was down to intelligence report at the disposal of Operation Swift Response (the joint border team enforcing border closure across the nation’s borders).

In the words of Joseph Attah, “The law allows Customs to raid, break into any warehouse or shops where intelligence report reveals a stockpile of contraband goods and items.”

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He said that the Yaba raid happened after similar raids had occurred in Mubi in Adamawa State and also Kano State. He also revealed that in the next few weeks, similar raids will occur in another part of the country.

“The Customs is regulated by the CEMA Act, which allows Customs operatives to forcefully break into any compound or building once there is an intelligence report of contraband in such building.

“The joint border drill, Operation Swift Response had intelligence report of contraband goods in Yaba, and we moved in swiftly. We were able to evacuate more than 40 trucks of contraband clothing from those shops in Yaba.

“It’s because the intelligence information was for the joint border drill, that was why it was a combined team of Customs officials and military personnel that raided Yaba.

“We have carried out similar raids in Adamawa and Kano before we did same in Yaba, Lagos, so people should not attach ethnic or whatever sentiment to the raid. Very soon, we will carry similar raids in other parts of the country because intelligence report has revealed to us the presence of unlawful goods in these places,” DC Attah added.

The Customs Spokesman, however, declined to reveal the actual part of the country where another shop raids are set to happen.

“I cannot tell you where we are coming to raid soon because it’s intelligence information,” DC Attah explained.