The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it had intercepted contraband items from smugglers with a Duty Paid Value of N91.5 million in Kebbi.
The Customs Area Controller Mr Ben Oramalugo, made this known while addressing newsmen on the activities of the command in the last two weeks, on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi.
He said the seizures were a result of intense vigilance across vast bushes and waterways in the state since he took over on February 1.
“Our undaunted effort has started yielding positive results in the anti-smuggling activities in the state, during the period, we have recorded 14 seizures of assorted items.
“The items include 8,975 litres of PMS loaded in 25-litre kegs, 189 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 71 bags of imported sugar and 42 bales of second-hand clothing and 36 sacks of used shoes.
“Others are 74 cartons of bleaching cream, 110 solar batteries, 105 cartons of medicine, seven used vehicles as means conveyance and one tanker truck under detention.
“The duty paid valued of the above-mentioned items stands at N91.5 million,” he said.
Oramalugo said in spite of the humongous amount paid by the government to make PMS available to citizens at a reasonable price, some unscrupulous citizens choose to divert the product to neighbouring countries for their selfish financial benefits.
“The command is equipped with all logistics provided by the management of the service under the able leadership of Col. Hamid Ibrahim-Ali, to carry out its duty as enshrined in Customs and Excise Management Act 2004.
“Specifically, Section 167 gives us the power to seize goods improperly imported, in contravention of extant laws,” he said.
Oramalugo averred that the service engaged in anti-smuggling activities to protect local industries and strengthen the country’s border security to prevent terrorists from entering the country.
“I would like to use this medium to express our profound gratitude to our sister agencies, and other units in the service, for their support and mutual collaboration through intelligence sharing in our onerous task of maintaining national security.
“We equally appreciate our stakeholders and the general public for their relentless support in carrying out our duties,” the area controller said.
