Nigeria Customs Service in Ogun State said it recorded 142 seizures of prohibited goods smuggled into the country, between February 9 and March 21.
The Customs Area Controller of Ogun 1 Area Command, Bamidele Makinde, stated this yesterday, while briefing newsmen on the scorecard of the command since he assumed leadership of the command 33 days ago.
Makinde said the Duty Paid Value (DPV) on the seizures, including 5,420 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg); 133 sacks and 181 wraps of cannabis sativa; 18 units of vehicles, comprising 13 means of conveyance and five units of Tokunbo, including 2018 model Range Rover; 13 kegs of vegetable oil (25 litres); 25 sacks and four bags of used shoes; eight bales, 19 bags and two sacks of secondhand clothing; 880 cartons of frozen poultry products and 26,725 litres of PMS, is N143,905,508.
The Area Controller attributed the achievements recorded to the strategic enforcement measures and effective use of intelligence put in place by the new administration in the command. While appreciating the collaborative efforts of the sister security agencies in the fight against smuggling, Makinde said he would continue to operate open door policy with the aim to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the implementation of the FG’s fiscal policy.
He, however, appealed to parents and guardians residing on the border communities to prevail on their wards and youths, to desist from smuggling activities, attacks on customs operatives and destruction of government assets cum infrastructures.
Makinde disclosed that his command was able to generate N1,942,375 million in the month under review from fees collected from auction sales of seized petroleum products and other perishable items, as land borders remain shut.
