Customs Unit, FOU Zone A, Seizes 6,954 Bags of Rice, Others Worth N3.3bn, Loses Officer to Smugglers
By Francis Ugwoke
Officers and men of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ , Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ikeja, have dealt a big blow to smugglers with the seizure of rice consignment and other different items which duty paid value is worth N3.32 billion.
The Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu , in a press briefing gave details of the seized goods as 6,954 bags of foreign parboiled rice in 11 trailers, 1,431 kilogrammes of synthetic cannabis, otherwise known as “Ghanaian Loud”.
Other items include 77 bags of foreign sugar, each weighing 50kg,
21 unit of assorted Tokunbo vehicles, 3,362 jerrycans of foreign vegetable oil 25 litres each, 20,700 litres of PMS, 915 bales of used clothing and a 20ft container of 20 Pallets of stone coated aluminium roofing sheets.
The Controller told newsmen, “amidst rising crime and criminality in our country today, the unit under my watch intensified the onslaught against drug trafficking syndicates within our Area of responsibility, through the interception of 3,029 parcels of a synthetic strain of cannabis indica, ‘Ghanaian loud’, weighing 1,431kg.
“This singular move significantly disrupted supply chains networks. These efforts occurred against the backdrop of spiralling incidences of banditry, terrorism and pervasive societal vices that threaten national stability”, he added.
Part of the press statement reads: “ Drug trafficking fuels these threats by providing chemical catalyst such as Methamphetamine and others that embolden perpetrators, erode morale and destabilize the nation. The effects ripple through public spaces, increase health burdens from addiction related illnesses, with attendant economic losses from youth unemployment among others. Considering the dangers involved in drug usage and its effect on our society, I urge perpetrators of this illicit trade to be patriotic enough to change their ways and embrace legitimate trade or face the consequences of their actions, as our determination is resolute.
“ Other notable seizures within the period under review include, four (4) live pangolins intercepted along the waterways of Alapa Creek, Ajilete. The seized endangered species, which are the most endangered mammals in the world, were since handed to Wildlife Conservation Centre for safekeeping. This effort underscores our country’s commitment to enforcing wildlife protection laws and discouraging trade in endangered species.
“ The Seizure of 581 (Five Hundred and Eighty-One) used refrigerator compressors concealed in a vehicle. This seizure is a vital win for Nigeria’s environment and public safety, considering its effects on environment, and this move reaffirms our commitment to the Basel Convention (1989). Both Section 55(1), (d) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (2023) & the Basel Convention relates to the control of Trans boundary hazardous waste movements, to protect developing nations like Nigeria. Used Compressors often carry hazardous oils, refrigerants, and residues that leach toxins into soil and emit “Green House Gases (GHGs) like Carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide among others that deplete the ozone layer, if not properly disposed. Section 55(1), (d) of NCS Act (2023) authorizes the seizure of prohibited imports that threaten the environment. This aligns our laws with international best practice in environmental protection”.
He disclosed that following the onslaught against the smugglers, the Unit lost one of its promising officers.
Aliyu said “Relative to these operations, the Command just this morning, 3 Feb 26, lost one of its promising officers, who fell to the cold hands of death in the Service of our Fatherland. This loss has already been communicated to the Service high Command”.
According to him, “ Upon assumption of duty at the Command a few weeks ago, I made a clear commitment that we will confront smuggling syndicates with renewed vigour, professional discipline, and complete respect for the rule of law and human dignity. This approach would be driven by three guiding principles of Change Management, Compliance Management & Reputational Management, guided by inclusivity.
“ We understood from the very beginning that we could not achieve different results employing the old ways. Therefore, we took a careful review of our operations, deployment patterns, and internal processes to make informed decisions. These include strengthening internal supervision, with clear performance indicators for every team member, reorganizing patrols using intelligence-driven deployment rather than routine predictable checkpoints, particularly within the Lagos metropolis”.
Aliyu said that it was this approach that led to significant interception of 144 smuggling attempts with goods of different brands.
He revealed that 8 suspects were arrested in connection with the various seizures.
He expressed profound gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, PhD Psc (+) and the Management team for this opportunity to serve as comptroller FOU A.
“We remain committed to fulfilling our obligations to the best of our ability. To our dedicated officers, I commend you and urge you to maintain this momentum. I also extend my sincere appreciation to the media for their continued support”, he said.
About Post Author
