Residents of border communities prefer to wine and dine with smugglers, Customs lament
The Nigeria Customs Service have appealed to residents of communities in border areas to partner the service in protecting Nigeria’s economy.
“I want to say the level of commitment from border communities has given us a lot of concern. They prefer to wine and dine with smugglers. We are appealing to people at the borders to cooperate with us to ensure the protection of our economy,” the Comptroller, FOU Customs Zone B Kaduna, A B Hamisu said.
He said they made seizure of various contraband items, with a total duty paid value of N390,992,674.8k.
A.B. Hamisu, while briefing the press in Kaduna on Wednesday, said the items seized included 944 bags of 50kg foreign rice, 98 vehicles, 524 kegs of vegetable cooking oil and 669 cartons of foreign spaghetti and macaroni.
Other items seized, were 100 cartons of cigarettes and 153 cartons of foreign EVA and GIV Soap.
Also listed, were 249 bales of foreign second-hand clothing, 29 cartons of foreign tinned tomato paste, 70 cartons of foreign Ginny Milky Creamer, 13 kegs of Automative Gas Oil (AGO) and 2 bags of foreign refined sugar.
“We have 98 seizures, 33 units of vehicles, 18 means of conveyance, that carried smuggled goods and the other 15, smuggled vehicles imported through land borders,” he said.
“We have 944 bags of foreign rice in 50kg. Our officers are on ground and nobody can compromise the policy of rice because of advantages of local production.
“524 kegs of foreign vegetable oil. These products Produced locally.669 cartons of spaghetti and macaroni.
“We also have 100 cartons of cigarettes, 153 cartons of foreign Eva and GIV soap. They have established a factory here in Nigeria, so I cannot see them killing production in our country.
“70 cartons of foreign Milky Creamer, 249 bails of smuggled second hand clothing. Second-hand clothing is an absolute prohibition.
“This is also an area where customs can never compromise because it affects growth of our indigenous textile industry, 29 cartons of foreign tomato paste, 2 bags of foreign refined sugar and 153 cartons foreign EVA and GIV soap,” he said.
He added that the seizures were done from various areas of coverage. “For logistics, certain seizures cannot be brought here,” he said.
He appealed to communities in border areas to partner the service in protecting Nigeria’s economy, saying “I want to say the level of commitment from border communities has given us a lot of concern.
“They prefer to wine and dine with smugglers. We are appealing to people at the borders to cooperate with us to ensure the protection of our economy,” he said.
The seizures, he said, were done between September 30 to November 16, 2021.
