Laments attack on officers by smugglers arrests 2

By Demola Akinyemi

Coordinator of Joint Border Drill Operations in the Northcentral zone Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba has said that two suspects have been arrested in latest operations during which N91.4m worth smuggled Items were impounded.

He also expressed deep concern over incessant attacks on the officers by smugglers during which the operational vehicle was severely damaged in a head-on collision in the recent operation.

Garba speaking at a press conference at the state Command of Nigeria Customs Command in Ilorin however said that they would not be deterred by the onslaughts of the smugglers to perform their duties of protecting the economy of the country from being destroyed by their activities.

He said, “I want to express my displeasure over the spate at which the smugglers and their sympathisers attack our officers at will, and prevent them from carrying out their constitutional duties. Our officers were almost lynched with stones and machetes at Dogo-Ogbomosho axis, our official vehicles were not spared.

“Attacking our officers will not deter the sector from performing its legitimate duties. I want to warn those disgruntled elements to desist as that will no longer be tolerated.”

Garba also said that the officers are always ahead of the antics of the smugglers saying  that “smugglers have now devised the means of using tipper sand, Keke Napep, toilet papers, electronic gadgets, vehicle spear parts, salt and even gone far as using watermelon to conceal rice.”

He stressed that “I want to make this clear to security, economic and environmental saboteurs that any method or trick adopted  or used will continue to be an effort in futility as they will always meet their Waterloo irrespective of technique they used.”

He said the seized items worth N91,490,140.00 recorded in the last 18 days were recorded around Chikanda, Kontagora, Jebba, Mokwa, Alapa and Mandala areas.

The items included 1,433 bags of foreign rice, concealed in bags of salt and watermelon, 56 units of various types of used vehicles, 30 bales of second-hand clothing and 200 units of used tyres.

Others are 426Jerry cans of PMS of 25 litres,6 drums of PMS, 29 Jerry cans of 25 litres of AGO and 220 pieces of another type of used tyre.

He, however, called on journalists and other members of the public, “to assist the service with useful information on smuggling activities within their communities.”

Vanguard