BY IFEYINWA OBI

Effort to fight smuggling activities to the barest minimum has continued to yield result as the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Zone ‘A’ Ikeja-Lagos has recorded massive seizures of prohibited goods valued at about N483. 3 million with a payable duty of N263 million between January to May,2014. This is even as the Unit apprehended 88 suspects in connection with the Seizures.

Bags of 50kg illegally imported parboiled rice, cartons of foreign frozen poultry products, used tyres and other general goods.

Making the disclosure in his office recently, the Controller Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Comptroller Nuhu Isa Mahmoud, who disclosed this to news men recently. as part of their report said that the impressive performance was as a result of the Unit resolve to strengthen its operational apparatus through a well tailored strategic approach, which includes the use of ICT and intelligence/information gathering.

According to him, there is a paradigm shift in the operational tactics of the Unit – a change from analogue approach to digital, in line with the global best practices and WCO (World Customs Organization) standards.

The Controller also attributed the success recorded by the Unit to the ever supportive gesture of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji (Dr.) Abdullahi Dikko Inde CFR and his management team.

He pointed out that the NCS management under the leadership of the CGC has provided the Unit with the wherewithal in terms of motivation/remuneration, capacity building and provision of operational tools like vehicles, arms/ammunition to support our effort.

In the same vein, the Controller applauded the synergy and collaboration between the officers/men of the Unit, which he noted has led to monumental achievements.

He stated that the Unit will continue to live up to its rating as a flagship Unit and hub in anti-smuggling activities.

Speaking further on the Seizure, the Controller assured that the Unit will always remain several steps ahead of the antics of smugglers to ensure that their nefarious activities were decimated.