By Eguono Odjegba

The Nigeria Customs Service, Headquarters Strike Force Zone B has intercepted contraband items with a Duty Paid Value of N143.64million, within its area of operation. The seized items include foreign parboiled rice, fertilisers, pasta, foreign soaps and ladies’ shoes.

In a related development, the Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, FOB, Ibaka, has handed over 70 bags of smuggled rice seized by it, alongside two boats, which were the means of conveyance, and two suspects connected to the seizures to the Customs Joint Border Patrol Team.

Coordinator of the Customs Strike Force Zone B, Deputy Comptroller Faith Ojeifo while speaking on the activities of her team, gave the breakdown of seizures made by it to also include 4,275 litres of petrol, two trucks, a Toyota Starlet car, 11 cartons of cigarettes, and 196 bales of used clothes, among others.

Ojeifo warned smugglers to embrace seek legitimate means of livelihood or risk lawful offensive and continue to face monumental losses, including prosecution, when caught.

The items seized from smugglers in Kebbi, Borno, Kano, Katsina, Yola, Kaduna and the Yobe states include 994 bags of foreign rice, 960 bags of Urea brand of fertilisers, 43 cartons of pasta, 1,292 cartons of soap and 959 cartons of ladies’ shoes.

He said “The team was set up by the Controller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, to strike at the heart of the economic criminals and to seriously deplete their ability to carry out this nefarious activity.

“We will not relent until we bring down all smugglers to their knees. We strongly warn all those intent on testing the resolve of the NCS by bringing in prohibited items, that we are ready and willing to fight them to a standstill. They are, therefore, advised to put their resources into other businesses to avoid needless waste,” he said.

Handing over the seized rice and boats, including the suspects to the Customs Joint Border Patrol Team, the Commanding Officer, FOB, Navy Capt. Muhammed Kabiru, said the seizures were made during routine patrol operations by its personnel on April 7 on April 7.

Kabiru who was represented by the Base Operations Officer, Lt.-Cdr. Samuel Olawookere explained that the suspects were arrested along Effiat waterways in the Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State; and warned that the base would not relent in putting an end to all form of criminalities on the Akwa Ibom waterways.

“On behalf of the Commanding Officer of FOB, Ibaka, Navy Capt. MM Kabiru, we shall hand over two suspects, 70 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice suspected to be smuggled into Nigeria from the Republic of Cameroon to Superintendent of Customs, Mr. Kikems Danbana,” he said.