The Seme Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), said it made 824 seizures with a total value of N413.3million in the first half (H1) of 2020. Customs Public Relations Officer, Hussaini Abdullahi, in a statement, also said the Command contributed about N22.48million into the Federation
Account within the period, derived as proceeds from the auction of seized perishables items, which is in line with the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act.
He said the Acting Area Controller of the Command, Dalha Cheidi Wada, has intensified anti-smuggling activities, while strengthening inter-agency collaboration for national interest.
The seizures comprise 79 vehicles and other items in the import prohibition list, including trade goods being brought into the country in defiance to extant rules.
A breakdown of the seizures showed 3,236 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice; 136,350 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol); 79 unit of vehicles, used as means of conveyance for the smuggled items; 1,302 cartons of frozen poultry products, 156 parcels of cannabis sativa, 156 jerry cans of vegetable oil (25litres each), and 7,763 general merchandise items.
Wada was quoted: “Recall that the government had on August 20th, 2019, closed its land borders, placing a temporary embargo on the movement of goods through the land borders nationwide, to curb rice smuggling, and increasing insecurity across the country.”
“The successes recorded are as a result of designed and implemented strategies adopted since assumption of office as Ag. Area Controller, and renewed synergy between different components of anti-smuggling units.”
“It also assisted the Command in forming a formidable force that helped to counter the activities of smugglers within nooks and crannies of Seme Command,” he stated.
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