By Ifeyinwa Obi

The Controller of Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, DC Usman Turaki, has expressed the unit’s readiness to secure the nation against influx of prohibited goods, assuring that it will not abdicate this responsibility for whatever reason.

Turaki, who gave this assurance in the unit’s 2015 first quarter report of its anti-smuggling activities, said it achieved a 45 per cent increase in terms of quality and quantity of seizures when compared with the first quarter of 2014.

He said: “We are confident that our renewed zeal and optimism will be the catalyst for optimal performance. The war against smuggling, no doubt, is a herculean task, because of the natural tendency for a smuggler to fight back each time their goods are seized.

”However, we have remained undeterred as we believe that we have a responsibility to secure the nation against influx of prohibited goods and items.

”We will not abdicate this responsibility for whatever reason. We therefore call on Nigerians to support the Nigeria Customs Service through genuine information that could assist us in tracking smugglers and their routes.”

Pointing that the Unit will continue to strategize on its operational plans to be ahead of smugglers, especially in line with six point agenda of the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Abdullahi Dikko Inde, the FOU boss however said: “The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ Ikeja effected 482 different seizures valued at N228, 906, 100 with a Payable Duty of N65, 538, 209, with a Duty Paid Value of N294, 444, 309, and 36 suspects apprehended in connection with the seizures.”