Customs Joint Border Operations seize N127m goods, seeks Community support

LAYI OLANREWAJU,Ilorin
A call has gone to border communities most especially Bokoru, Alapa, Chikanda, and Babanna axis to eschew from smuggling and not allow their towns to be used by smugglers.The call was made yesterday during the press briefing with Journalists in Ilorin the state capital by Ag ACG. Mohammed Uba Garba Coordinator Joint Border Drill Operations North Central Zone, Sector 3 Ilorin.He urged the Community leaders in those areas to rise up to the challenge and cooperate with the sector to checkmate the activities of those who are into illegal businesses, who use their environs as safe routes and hiding places.Accorsing to him,”Like I said on different occasions that no country in the world has been able to stamp out smuggling completely but it can be brought to the lowest level through collaboration with the Community dwellers, community leaders including you members of the Press, and all stakeholders.”To counter the erroneous report on the noneffect of border closure, Exercise SWIFT RESPONSE has boosted the production of agricultural products, especially local rice, tomatoes, maize, poultry amongst others and this has stimulated the growth of the Nation’s economy. We have Alhamsad Rice Mill Kano, Anambra Rice Mill Limited, Jewes Rice Milling factory in Taraba, Lake-Rice jointly operated by Lagos and Kebbi StateAmong the tomatoes, companies are Wole Tomatoes enterprises, Iwo Osun State, FIIRO in Lagos, and Sonia Tomatoes Company in Jos, Plateau State just to mention a few.”From July 26th till date, Sector 3 has recorded One Hundred and One (111) seizures of different items and One of the high points of today’s briefing is the seizure of One Thousand Two Hundred and Twelve (1212) Bags of fertilizer with a duty paid value of Sixteen Million Nine Hundred and Six Eight Thousand Naira (N16, 968,000.00)”He Stressed that FG has banned importation of fertilizer because of its high explosive nature. For those who follow history very well, the devastating fire outbreak at Beirut, Lebanon that killed over 100 people and destroyed an entire community was caused by ammonium nitrate (One of the Compounds used in manufacturing Fertilizer). The federal government discouraged the importation of fertilizer because of some unscrupulous elements in Nigeria who imported them not for the Agricultural purposes but to perpetrate evil acts, based on this, clearance for the importation of fertilizer must obtain approval through the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).Other seizures include-:2, 794 Bags of foreign Rice equivalent to 46 trailers;114 Cartons of HIV Drugs without NAFDAC Number;55 Units of various type of used vehicles; 118 Bales of second-hand clothing; 22 units of used tires;13 Bags of Foreign Sugar;608 Drums of PMS;469 Jeri cans of 25 liters of AGO;17 Motorcycle; 81 Cartons of foreign Juice;17 Cartons of foreign Natural water; 20 Jerri Cans of 25 liters of Vegetable Oil;31 Bags of Local Maize; 17 Bags of Local Beans; Total DPV – N 127,222,800.00We have arrested (13) thirteen suspects in connection with seized good but were given administrative bail. A total of Fifteen (15) Benin Republic Nationals who entered the country through bush path via Labor-Okuta-Taso road were equally intercepted and repatriated.Finally, Since Border Operations, sector 3 has seized 23,449 Bags of Rice.