Kwara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday threatened to deal decisively with smugglers who may want to use forthcoming yuletide periods to make money by smuggling prohibited items into the country.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Kehinde Ilesanmi, restated that the ban through the land borders on importation of foreign rice, used vehicles, vegetable oil, secondhand clothing, used tyres, and other dangerous drugs such as marijuana, tramadol is still in place.
“As an agency of the government with responsibility to facilitate trade among others, NCS is duty bound to ensure that illegitimate trade does not thrive. NCS, Kwara Area Command is committed to enforcing this without compromise”, he said.
The comptroller, who warned smugglers to think twice, said that customs officers have continued to dominate the area with aggressive patrols to deny smugglers freedom of action.
He enjoined members of the public to continue to provide credible information to the command through Customs officers operating within their localities.
Concerning revenue generation, the Kwara area command of the NCS said that the command made over N5billion (N5,992,300,562.73) from June to October, adding that the sum of money surpassed what was generated same period last year 2022 with N307,517,623,49.
Talking on arrest, the comptroller said that the command on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at about 5:05pm, intercepted one 2010 model Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Jeep with a registration number belonging to a Toyota Hiace Bus.
The customs boss said that the Jeep, with Chassis Number JIEBXFJOAKOO7069 and Registration Number EPE-911- HH, was intercepted at Chikanda border post in Kusobosu local government area of the state.
“In what looked like a drama, on Sunday the 16th of July, 2023 exactly Thirty (30) days after, at about 1430hrs which is 2:30pm our officers’ yet again intercepted one used Toyota Hiace Bus with Chassis Number TRH200155105 in Chikanda heading towards Benin Republic. Surprisingly, the same registration number EPE-911- HH which the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Jeep earlier intercepted had was displayed as the registration number.
“During the course of investigation, it was discovered that the registration number of the said vehicle belonged to a Toyota Hiace Bus. This is what heightened the curiosity of our officers and the vehicle was detained.
“After preliminary investigation by our enforcement and legal unit, it was established that the two vehicles were stolen. In the spirit of inter agency collaboration, the approval of CGC was sought and received to hand over the two vehicles to Nigerian Police Force for continuation of investigation.
“In order to carry out directives of the CGC and for all our friends in the media to be part of history, we decided to invite the Commissioner of Police Lagos State where the offence was committed for the handing over and taking over of the vehicles.
“From June –October 2023, the Command has recorded Fifteen (15) seizures. These include 352 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each and 1, 875 liters of PMS of 25 litres each in 75 Jeri cans.
“Three (3) suspects were arrested during the period under review and the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seizure is N11, 149,636.00.
“In conclusion, the Command will like to use this medium to appreciate the magnanimous support of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi (MFR) and his management team for giving the Command additional Four (4) patrol vehicles that will in a great way assist the Command to achieve great results.”