By Bashir Bello, Katsina

Not fewer than six smugglers of rice and other smuggled items have been arrested by men and officers of the Nigeria Custom Service.

The operation leading to the arrest and seizure of smuggled items was carried out by the joint operation of border drill and the area command (Katsina).

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Speaking while addressing newsmen in Katsina, the Assistant Comptroller General and Sector 4 Coordinator, National Border Drill, Bashir Abubakar said two of the smugglers were arrested in Katsina while the remaining four were arrested in Kebbi state with the period of one week of the operation.

Abubakar however said it is going beyond arrest of drivers and cyclist to the owners once named, their houses and stores.

He said smuggled items were seized around Kongolom, border area and Katsina area of the state.“We seized some foreign rice loaded in two J-5, vegetable oils loaded in two J-5. “The seizure was in Kongolom axis and some from Katsina.

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“We arrested two suspects in Katsina axis and four other suspects in Kebbi axis which are under our axis alongside Sokoto. “Now, we are not concerned about the drivers, cyclists. We follow you to your house ones your name is mentioned we will go after you and you will be detained in our cell unless you give genuine explanation,” Abubakar said.

Similarly, the acting Comptroller, Katsina Area Command of NCS, Kirawa D. M. Abdullahi said it also seized vehicles, motorcycles and bales of second hand clothes around Jibia/Magama, Jibia Maje and Batsari axis.

Items seized include 771 bags of rice, 561 jerricans of vegetable oil, 35 bales of second hand clothes, 213 cartons of noodles (spaghetti), 12 vehicles (J-5 numbering about four, Golf numbering three and Carina-2 numbering about five).

Vanguard News