SOJI AJIBOLA, IBADAN
The Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said on Thursday that it has generated about N4bn revenue and intercepted over 3000 bags of foreign rice in January.
Addressing newsmen at the Command Headquarters in Ikolaba, Ibadan North Local Government Area, the Area Controller, Mr. Adamu Abddulkadir, listed items intercepted to include gallons of vegetable oil, bales of second hand clothing, used tyres and assorted tokunbo vehicles, amongst others.
He added that the command had made series of detentions and seizures amounting to a total Duty Paid Value of about N.04m
The Area Commander stated that in spite of various challenges, the Command was able to generate about N4billion revenue into the coffers of the Federal government.
He, therefore, called on those sabotaging the economy of the country to have a rethink, as the Command would not hesitate to track, apprehend and prosecute anyone found engaging in smuggling in accordance with the laws of the land.
The customs boss explained that the Command under his management had further enhanced its anti-smuggling strategies by taking the battle to the doorsteps of the smugglers, rather than waiting for them to come out in an operation codenamed ‘Operation Fish Out’.
According to him, “While invoking sections 147 and 151 of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap C45 LFN 2004 with the power to search the premises for contraband and power to give rewards to informants, who give genuine intelligence to help improve the capabilities of the command on anti-smuggling duties.
He said, “We shall further sharpen our intelligence and enforcement capabilities to fight smuggling and enforce compliance with reference to extant laws guiding our procedures and rules of engagement.
“We shall deploy all our strength and available logistics to ensure success in the battle against those who would like to dare the capability of officers of Oyo/Osun Area Command. Oyo and Osun States will be made unbearable for economic saboteurs.”
Some of the items seized between November 2020, and January 2021 included 3052 bags of rice with Duty Paid Value of N125million, 8×25 litres of vegetable oil with Duty Paid Value of N220,000, 60 bales of second-hand clothings (Okrika) with Duty Paid Value of about N16million, 246 pieces of used tyres with Duty Paid Value of about N3million and 8 units of Toyota Camry ( 2020 Models) with Duty Paid Value of about N212 million, amongst others.