… Generates over N5. 5 billion in less than three months
From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
The Area Comptroller of Kano/Jigawa Command of the Nigeria custom Service, Mr. Suleiman Pai Umar, on Tuesday displayed assorted smuggled items with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N270 million.
He said the items which were illegally brought into the country were seized by his men and officers at different locations within Kano and Jigawa axis.
Comptroller Umar who briefed journalists at the Club Road Headquarters of the Command in Kano, said the seizures were made from January till date.
According to him, the Command was able to record such feat as a result of intelligence gathering from the Customs Intelligence Unit, (CIU) and Customs Police.
He added that the Customs also bursted a notorious syndicate of exotic car, who took advantage of porous borders in some northern part of the country to ferry in cars and vehicles illegally.
He further stated that the syndicate operated somewhere around Hotoro axis of the state capital, adding that following intelligence tip- off, his operatives successfully raided one of their warehouses and arrested two of their exotic cars, both of which had a duty paid value of N83,569,989.
He said that the exotic cars were brought into the country with Chadian diplomatic plate numbers adding that the seizure had been reported to the Abuja headquarters of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), which had initiated a compliant with the Chadian Embassy in Nigeria.
He vowed to make sure the culprits face the dull wrath of the law, as investigation was still on going on the case. He also said the command made an arrest of an agent in connection with the seizure of second hand bales but now on bail.
Comptroller Umar also vowed that his men and officers would not relent in fishing out the perpetrators of such illegal activities bent on sabotaging the economy of the country.
He added that, “we shall countinue to Sharpen our intelligence and enforcement capabilities to fight smuggling and enforce compliance with extant laws and procedures to ensure success in the battle against economic saboteurs.
“The role of the Nigeria Customs Service in the sustenance of the nation’s economy is very crucial. Also, suppression of smuggling of prohibited/restricted items into the country is necessary in reducing insecurity and protecting our local industries.
“During our anti-smuggling activities from January till date, the command has made several seizures within it’s area of coverage.
With smart intelligence gathering from CIU and Customs Police, we are able to seize a 1×40 ft container at APMT loaded with 290 bales of second hand clothes otherwise known as (Okirika) with a Duty Paid Value of over N38 million.
“Similarly, we arrested two Exotic cars (Mercedes Benz C43 AMG 4MATIC 2017 Model and Mercedes Benz GLE 53AMG TURBO 2021 Model) both with Chadian embassy plate numbers with Duty paid value of over N83 million.
“Other contraband items seized includes, 1,300 (50kg) bags of foreign Rice, 180 jerry Cans of vegetable oil, 50 Cartons of foreign Coucous, 27 Carton of foreign Spaghetti, 15 Cartons of Condensed Milk,and 22 Bales of second Hand clothes worth over N148 million DPV.”
He also stated that within the period under review (January till date) the command generated the sum of N5.5 billion as Internally Generated Revenue, IGR while expressing optimism that it will surpass the 2021 IGR target.
