Stories by Ajibola Patrick Lagos
Th e Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FoU), Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Lagos having intensifi ed its antismuggling operations intercepted various contraband with a duty paid value (DPV) of N1,295,600,724.95 in the last six months. Similarly, the unit through its interventions recovered N1,286,730,671.90.
Th e proceeds were from duty payments and demand notices on general goods that tried to beat the system from seaports, airport and border stations through wrong classifi cation, transfer of value, and shortchange in duty payment that are meant for the Federal Government of Nigeria. A release issued by the Public Relation Offi cer of the Command, Joseph Attah summed up the cumulative to Two Billion, Five Hundred and Eighty Two Million, Th ree Hundred and Th irty One Th ousand, Th ree Hundred and Ninety Six Naira, Nine Kobo (N2,582,331,396.9). According to him, In the months under review, 95 suspects were arrested in connection to these seizures and 475 diff erent seizures were recorded comprising foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, vegetable oil, smuggled vehicles, Indian hemp, arms, fake pharmaceutical/medicaments and various general merchandise.
“Th e Controller, Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba thanked the Comptroller General of Customs, Colonel. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and the entire Management Team of the NCS for their eff orts 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. “Similarly, Comptroller Uba commended the commitment and diligence of the Offi cers and Men of the FOU ‘A’ for thwarting the antics of some dare devil smugglers who used diff erent methods for concealment.
He charged all his offi cers 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.” Th e statement further said the Comptroller called on all the members of the forth estate of the realm and the general public to continue the partnership with the Customs in the advocacy campaign against the evil of smuggling to the nation’s economy and provides necessary intelligence that could assist the NCS.
