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- Handover 3 suspects, 7,728kg of Cannabis Sativa to NDLEA
By Steve Agbota, Lagos
Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday said that it intercepted military hardwares, other contraband worth N462,708 million and arrested 13 suspects in connection with various smuggled items.
The Unit also handed over another three suspects and Cannabis Sativa with a net weight of 7,728 kilogrammes to officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State Command for further investigation and prosecution.
Addressing reporters during a press briefing on its activities for the month of July 2023, the acting Area Controller of the Unit, DC Hussein Kehinde, said that the 13 suspects arrested in connection with some of the seizures are at different stages of investigations and prosecution.
Giving the account of the military wares, he said within July 2023 the sedulousness of its officers led to the interception of smuggled 15 bulletproof jackets, 15 pieces of jack knives and 20 pieces of pistol pouches inside a Toyota Sienna Bus in Ogun State at Ijebu-Ode Checkpoint, adding that the driver of the vehicle was arrested in conjunction with the seized controlled wares.
He added that it is pertinent to know that the importation of all forms of bulletproof materials such as vests, ballistic materials and vehicles, as well as parts and accessories for all military armaments and hardware such as guns, arms and ammunition of all kinds; lethal and non-lethal requires an end-user certificate.
He explained that an end-user certificate is applied to, and issued by the office of the national security adviser, which loses its validity after one year from the issuance date. Hence, he said anyone importing a controlled item must do so within the validity period of the end-user certificate.
“Seizures recorded within the period under review are a reflection of officers’ commitment to duty, and no compromise posture in the discharge of our statutory responsibilities; aimed at protecting the national economy and preventing the importation of prohibited, and harmful goods.
“This success story will not be complete without my expression of gratitude to the Ag. Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR whose maiden working visit to the Unit was a morale booster. I also use this medium to thank him and members of the management team for stoking our logistics for more gainful performance,” he said.
He said 50 seizures were made within the period under review for non-compliance with the extant Customs laws. Notable among the seizures made are 1. 5,642 X 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent to 9 trailer loads).
He said others include; 18,925 litres (757 X 25 litres jerry cans of premium motor spirit), 49 cartons of children school shoes, 181(87 kg) parcels of Indian Hemp, 357 kegs X 5 litres of vegetable oil, 1 unit of Honda Motorcycle, two used (Tokumbo) vehicles and the military wares.
Meanwhile, he said the sum of N66.493 million was recovered as revenue into the federation account through the issuance of demand notices (DN) on Customs duties that were discovered to be underpaid.
“The of the press briefing on the seizures aimed at discouraging the business of smuggling because it is capable of destroying our national economy, and could adversely affect our living standards. The criminal business of smuggling mainly favours only a selfish few who do not mean well for our country,” he said.
