By Rabiu MUSA, Abuja
In compliance with the fiscal policies of the federal government of Nigeria, the Federal Operations Unit, (FOU), Zone D, Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS,) Bauchi, has said, “It impounded contraband goods worth N1.1 billion between January to August 2023.”
This information was disclosed by the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Adelaja.
DC Adelaja, asserted, “The unit is saddled with the responsibility of enforcing customs laws, implementing Government Fiscal policies and suppression of smuggling within the Zone.”
Adding, ” The period under review, the unit has made a total of 88 seizures. With cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) of all the seized items stands at One Billion, One Hundred and Seventy Eight Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty One Thousand, Thirty Three Naira Only (N1,178,821,033).”
He continued, “The unit has intercepted contraband that include 9-sacks of Pangolin Scales and Claws weighing 396.4kg.Two Live birds (African Crowned Crane, one live Antelope Gazelle. One piece of Lion bone and a plastic container of lion fat.”
His words: “Others are 88 cartons of insecticides. 342 Packs of foreign candy,190 cartons of flavored powdered drinks,23- sacks of used shoes, 1800-Bags of sugar 50 kg each,343- bags of fertilizer, UREA/NPK. The Contrabands include 328 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled,66 cartons of foreign Soap,50 cartons of foreign spaghetti.”
” Others are 54 Jerrycans of foreign vegetable oil 25 liters each, 3 units used imported vehicles,11 vehicles as means of conveyance and 174,585-liters of petroleum products.”
However, the acting Customs Area Controller explained that the seizures were possible due to robust information gathering and credible intelligence sharing by other customs units and resilient patrol officers of the unit.
DC Adelaja, enjoined all citizens to provide credible information to the service to curb the menace of these unscrupulous smugglers who are bent on crippling the economy of the great nation and warned that anyone caught in the act will be dealt with according to the provisions of the law.
