Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Kwara State Command, has intercepted contraband goods valued N478m in the continued crackdown on smuggling activities in various parts of the state.
The command also generated over N2.5b as excise revenue for the federal government in barely two months.
The Acting Controller of the command, Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi, disclosed this at a press briefing held at the command’s headquarters in Ilorin on Wednesday.
The seizures, Najeem declared, “are a clear demonstration of our renewed operational strategy, which is anchored on intelligence gathering, coordinated patrols, and strategic deployment of personnel across identified smuggling corridors.
Seized items included 1,170 bags of foreign parboil rice of 50 kilogram each, 44 bags of 50kg imported sugar, 317 jerrycans of petrol, 120 sacks of illegally mined lithium ore, 60 sacks of second hand clothing, 222 units of used compressors, and 15 units of used tyres among others.
“The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of these seizures stand at ₦478,171,315.00, underscoring the magnitude of the attempted economic sabotage and the level of vigilance exercised by officers of the C
command.
“These interceptions underscore our unwavering commitment to intelligence-led enforcement operations.
“They are justified by the urgent need to curb economic sabotage, protect legitimate businesses, safeguard national revenue, and ensure compliance with extant laws governing cross-border trade,” the controller added.
The controller, again warned that smuggling activities would not be tolerated under his watch, warning that Kwara area command will no longer serve as a safe haven for illegal trade.
Najeem, commended the excellent working relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service, Kwara Area Command, and other sister security and regulatory agencies which led to the successes recorded by the command.
He equally commended the Controller General of Customs and the support and partnership of the media in the successes recorded by the command.
While urging members of the public to embrace legitimate trade and desist from engaging in smuggling and other unlawful economic activities, he said “the fight against smuggling is not the responsibility of the Nigeria Customs Service alone; it requires the collective commitment of all stakeholders, including border communities, traders, and the general public.”
Kwara customs command generate N2.5b revenue