Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has restated its commitment to put an end to activities of Smugglers in the zone through an anti-smuggling operation codenamed ‘Operation Fish Out’.
The Customs Area Controller, Adamu R Abdulkadir !!disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists on the seizures at the command officer in Ibadan.
Abdulkadir, who lamented that the smugglers are frustrating and retarding the effort of the government in promoting local production aimed at boosting the country’s economy, assured that the command under his watch will continue to take battle to the door steps of the smugglers.
” We shall deploy all our strength and available logistics to ensure sucesses in the battle against those who like to dare the capability of officers of Oyo/Osun Area command , Oyo and Osun states will be unbearable for economic saboteurs”, he said.
The Customs Chief, also acknowledged the support of sister agencies including Police, DSS, Nigerian Army, Oyo state Operation Burst, Amotekun, as well as contributions of other stakeholders such as community leaders, traditional rulers in Oyo and Osun for their efforts.
He added that the Customs and Excise management act (CEMA) Cap C45-LFN 2004 empower them to search premises for uncustom goods and power to give reward to informants who give genuine intelligence to help improve the capabilities of the command anti -smuggling duties.
Abdulkadir who commended the efforts of the command’s officers for their resilience in the face of many challenges, however warned that anyone wanting to test their resolve by daring to smuggle be assuured that the long arm of law will certainly catch up with such recalcitrant fellow.
He revealed that the command was able to generate a sum of N4’895,772,769,90 ( Four Billion Eight Hundred and Ninety Five Million Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousands, Seven Hundred and Sixty Nine Nara, Ninety Kobo) for the month of January 2021.
He explained further that between 19th Nov 2020 and 31 january 2021, the command has made a series of seisures of detention and seizures amounting to a total duty paid value of N393,420,494, ( Three Hundred and ninety three Million, four hundred and Twenty thousands, four hunded and Ninety Four Naira only.
Item seized include: 8 Units of Toyota Camry( 2020 models) with DPV of N211,541,3200., I used Toyotal Highlander ( 2019 model) with a DPV of N33,710, 363, 220 kegs x 25 litres of premiusm motor spirit, 3052 of foreign parboiled rice with Dutu Paid Value of N124,477,488.00, 8×25 litrs of Vegetable Oil with DPV N217,251.00, 60 bales of Second Hand clothing, Okroka with DPV of N15,034, 143 and 246 peices of Used Tyres with DPV of 2,698,866.00 and 10 Units of Motorcycle used as means of conveyance for smuggling rice with DPV of N1,219,000.00
Also 20kg of canabis sativa with a duty paid value og N4, 526, 063, was seized and he said would be handed over to the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agence NDLEA for further action.
