STAN OKENWA
The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ of the Nigerian Customs Service ( NCS), Ikeja, has raised standard of its anti-smuggling operations with the interception of various contraband ranging from imported frozen poultry products, foreign parboiled rice, vehicles, vegetable oil, trucks of unprocessed teak woods and other general merchandise recently.
The Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, Umar Mohammed Dahiru, made the disclosure during his inspection tour of the warehouse in company of senior officers in the Unit for ‘on the spot assessment’ of the latest seizures of contraband recorded by the Unit.
Explaining the seizures, the Controller said a total of 4,911 bags of 50kg parboiled rice, 15048 cartons of imported frozen products, 1884 vegetable oils, 17 trucks of unprocessed teak woods were intercepted and unspecified number of general merchandise by his operatives through intelligence recently.
He stated that the latest seizure came against the backdrop of the recent directive on the ban of rice importation through the land borders by the federal government.
He pegged the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the rice, frozen poultry products, vegetable oil and other general merchandise aside the teak wood at N572, 100,700.00.
Continuing, he noted that three brand new Toyota Prado jeeps were also intercepted within the same period, though their status could not be ascertained as at the time of this report.
He however, confirmed that the agent had been requested to produce the Customs documents which will provide the necessary details regarding the status of the vehicles.
The Comptroller clearly pointed out that what made the seizures of the frozen poultry products unique was the circumstances and mode of concealment of the frozen poultry products.
He disclosed that most of the seizures of frozen products were carefully concealed with frozen fish ostensibly to divert the attention of the operatives; revealing that at other instances, cooling vans were used to conceal the products with the same criminal intent.
The Comptroller clarified that importation of rice is only restricted for now through the Seaports as against the borders, and warned Rice importers to adhere very strictly with the latest policy or face the full wrath of the law.
He explained that recent visit of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), in company of some members of his Management team to Zone ‘A’, was designed to strengthen operational ties with the critical stakeholders as well as to brainstorm on areas of hiccups with a view to ensuring seamless collaborations that would enhance the revenue generation capacity of the NSC.
In his words “the Comptroller-General of Customs and his Management are working tirelessly despite the present harsh economic challenges to re-position the Service for greater efficiency and functionality”.
He commended the CGC and his Management for providing logistic support to the Unit and promised that everything humanly possible will be done to ensure practical decimation and degradation of smugglers in the South West and by extension the entire Nation.
Dahiru added further that “In area of logistic support, I would like to appreciate the CGC, Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and his Management for providing necessary equipment which has enabled us to frontally deal with smuggling. Just recently we took delivery of new weapons – AK 47 rifles and ammunition to compliment the ones in our armoury.
It has really gone a long way in giving us a comparative advantage against these economic terrorists”
The Comptroller also stated that Nigeria is a signatory to the ECOWAS treaty on trade facilitation/liberalization and cannot afford to go contrary to the letter and spirit of the treaty.
“The Service is a compliant organization and we are determined to deliver services in line with World Customs Organization (WCO) standards, because we are key elements of WCO”.
Generally speaking, the Comptroller expressed his willingness to tackle smuggling, “Emphasising,The Unit is working in tandem with the change mantra and ideology of the present Management to ensure that all areas of revenue leakages are blocked, using scientific methods. These smugglers can be very daring because most times you see them welding sophisticated weapons, but the cheering news is that we have superior fire power and are always steps ahead of them. We need the partnership of all Nigerians through credible intelligence to help the Unit in its campaign against smuggling”.
He however, assured that legitimate and compliant importers will always receive the support of the Unit in line with the policy of trade facilitation; while admonishing those with dubious intents to turn a new leaf.
He listed some of challenges faced by the Unit, particularly the ignorance of some rural dwellers who do not see anything wrong in smuggling.
The Controller promised that the concept of Customs Community Relations (CCR) would be revived for the education and sensitization of the populace, particularly those dwelling at the communities where smugglers operate, to the detriment of socio-economic development of the Nation.
Without mincing words, he reiterated his resolve to deal ruthlessly with the smugglers, saying; “As long as they are ready to circumvent the fiscal policies of the Federal Government in terms of trade, we will continue to arrest and prosecute them as a deterrent to others”.
He further assured that the Service will continue to strategize to meet the dynamics of the current situation; which calls for resilience and doggedness.
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