2023: FOU Zone ‘A’ Made 1,119 Seizures Worth Over N10b
... Arrest 136 Suspects, Secures Conviction for 16
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone A said the unit made 1,119 seizures worth a total duty paid value of N10,395,123,943 in 2023.
The unit was able to recover a total of N851,719,905.01 as revenue through meticulous document checking. We were able to identify shortfalls in duty payments from which demand notices were issued and accurate revenue were recovered.
The seizures comprising of rice, vehicles, marijuana, tramadol, used tyres, poultry products, footwears, petroleum products and others
This was made known in a press briefing on Tuesday by the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu. According to the Controller, the most prominent of the seizures is foreign parboiled rice which amounted to 139 trailer loads (83,170 bags of 50kg).
“The report of our seizures and arrests being given to you today attests to the relentless and uncompromising enforcement we deployed in the fight against smuggling in 2023.
“It is indeed a fallout of the positive energy and selflessness we displayed in the course of our work.
“Also a total number of 136 persons were arrested at various points within our area of responsibility. They were suspected to be smugglers, and after due diligence of uncompromising of profiling and investigation, they were charged to court and are at different stages of prosecution.
“16 people were convicted through the Federal High Courts for committing offences of improper importation, assault of Customs officers, being in possession of foreign parboiled rice and for being in possession of Pangolin scales meant for export.
“we must discourage Nigerians from participating in any form of smuggling activity either as sponsors, couriers, informants or other forms of enablers” he said
He added that as a unit charged with anti-smuggling function in the South West Zone, overseeing an area with international borders, busiest airport in Nigeria, and the two largest sea ports in the country, FOU Zone A area of responsibility is indeed wide.
“With the morale and logistics support from the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, we were able to prosecute the fight against smuggling diligently by making seizures, effecting arrests and collecting revenue for government in the course of discharging our functions.
A breakdown of other seizures includes:
13,706 kegs by 25 litres of PMS
8,372 Kg of Indian Hemp
2,942 pieces of tyres
2,153 bales of used clothes
3,095 cartons of frozen poultry
320 cartons illicit drugs
15 pieces of bullet proof jackets, 15 pieces of jack knives, and 68 pieces of military camouflage
450 drums X 106 kg of carbide
1 X 40 ft and 2 X 20 ft containers found to contain charcoal
132 units of foreign used vehicles
Some other smuggling related cases instituted in the courts are at various stages of prosecution and would be followed up diligently.
These are revenues that would have been lost by the federal government to the pockets of some uncompliant business men.
2024 PROJECTION
Comptroller Ejibunu reiterates that our battle to prevent smuggling will be intensified this year as we shall not relent in making seizures, arrests and prosecution of criminals who contravene the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“This year 2024, we shall continue, through our legal seat, to follow all pending court cases to logical conclusions.
”If they don’t desist from their criminal ways, this year will be tougher for them because they will lose their investments and freedom when arrested.
“Let me put on record that we shall lawfully arrest and prosecute any individual involved in the attack of our officers who are discharging their legitimate responsibilities. No attacker of our personnel will be spared from facing the full wrath of the law.
The CAC expressed his appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, and members of the management team, compliant traders within our zone and you our friends from the media for all the publicity you have helped us achieve in educating Nigerians on the dangers of smuggling.
