From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
The Nigeria Customs Service (NIS) Strike Force, Zone B, has made seizures of assorted contraband and counterfeit goods worth over N139, 715, 063.00, at different locations, border points and axis, within the Northern states under its jurisdiction.
Speaking to journalists at the Club Road Headquarters of Kano/Jigawa Command on Tuesday, the Deputy Controller-General in charge of Zone B, Olorukoba Ussaini Aliyu, said the intensified interception of smuggled and contraband items was as a result of the increased unpatriotic activities of smugglers who are bent on sabotaging the nation’s economy even in this period of Yuletide.
According to him, among items seized by the Task Force include 745 bags of foreign rice, 16 detained vehicles and two seized vehicles, 622 bales and three sacks of second hand clothing, 564 kegs of 25 litres vegetable oil, 258 cartons of tomatoes paste and 208 percels of Cannabis Sativa.
Others include 821 cartons of foreign spaghetti noodles, 35 cartons of Mosquito coil, 370 kegs of 25 litres Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), 121 cartons of other items, including pharmaceutical drugs under investigation.
DCG Olorukoba Aliyu further stated that, “in compliance with the Comptroler-General’s matching order given to us to stop smuggling and smuggling activities, we hit the ground running, as a result of which we made the seizures I have displayed before you.
“We are aware that as the end of the year festivities are starting, so shall smugglers want to take advantage to smuggle. But my advice to them is simple, either they should change for the better and start legitimate trade or they relocate.
“The CGC has equipped and motivated us to do everything possible within the law to stop smuggling and that remains our focus while we create conducive environment for legitimate trading public”.
Meanwhile, among seized items also displayed included the contrabands and smuggled items intercepted by men and officers of Kano/Jigawa Command.
Seizures from the Kano/Jigawa Command axis include 208 bags of foreign rice, 268 bales of second hand clothing, 53 kegs of 25 litres of vegetable oil, 35 cartons of Mosquito coil, nine cartons of foreign Giv Soap, three vehicles under detention, and 94 cartons of spaghetti noodles.
