James Ogunnaike – Abeokuta

The Ogun 1 command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Saturday, said it has generated N19,598,500.00 between April and June 2020.

The Area Controller of Customs, Ogun Area 1 command, Michael Agbara disclosed this to newsmen during a press briefing to highlight the activities of the command in the last three months.

Agbara said, during the period under review, the Command made 439 seizures, which included; 11,841 bags of 59kg foreign parboiled rice, 130 units of vehicles including 2018 Model Black Mercedes Benz AMG G63, (bulletproof), 39 units of a motorcycle (means of conveyance) and 98 kegs of Vegetable oil (25 liters each).

Other items are 11 bales and 40 packs of secondhand clothing, 100 pairs of used shoes, 3,204 ctns of frozen poultry products, 98,200 liters of PMS (Petrol), 306 kegs of palm oil (25 liters each) and 1,950 liters of Diesel.

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The seizure also include 3,250 liters of Kerosene, 73 packets of handbags (New) 33 cartons body cream, 2 sacks of margarine (Blue band) 149 bags by 50kg and 3 cartons of Sugar, 26 sacks of Kolanut, 7 sacks of Bitter kola, 55 sacks of Cannabis sativa, 5 bundles and 9 pack of used tyres, 2 cartons of Milk

12 cartons of Spaghetti, 40 drums of Ethanol (alcoholic spirit), 9 cartons of mosquito coil and flit, 90 packs of pineapple, 17 cartons of fresh herbal soap and 697 bags of Sodium Hydroxide Chemical

He added that the total duty paid value of the items is N500,766,215

The Area Controller said as you all know that the border is still closed to import/export and this made our traditional revenue not feasible. We are able to generate some fees as stated below, from the sales of Petroleum products and other perishables that cannot be warehoused.

Agbara pointed out that the Command was able to achieve the feat due to strategic enforcement measures put in place, despite the increasing state of Covid-19 pandemic ravaging the country.

He assured that “the Command will continue to dialogue, engage, sensitize and educate the public on social/economic implication of smuggling as well as performing the statutory function of enforcing compliance in line with government fiscal policies”.

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“We wish to reiterate that the continued attack on operatives of NCS and other sister agencies will not deter us from the continued performance of our legitimate duties”.

Agbara appealed to parents and guardians to prevail on their children, wards, and youths to desist from such criminal acts as the NCS operatives in observance of the rules of engagement will be left with no choice than to defend their lives if attacked.

“The anti-smuggling embarked upon by the Command is a patriotic duty in the interest of national security and economic wellbeing of Nigeria”.

Vanguard