The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, reported on Wednesday that its officers had seized 35 live cartridges, a pump action rifle, two locally made guns, 7,328 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice, 121,550 liters of premium motor spirit, 68 cartons of frozen poultry, 37 crates of eggs used to conceal rice, 150kg parcels of Indian hemp, 10 pieces of military camouflage bags, and six used cars (Tokunbo) .
Speaking to reporters in Lagos while giving them a tour of the confiscated items, acting Controller of the Zone A Unit of Customs Hussein Ejibunu revealed that his team also found 1,955 bales of worn apparel in a nearby abandoned building near the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.
Hussein Ejibunu, the acting controller, stated that “the Zone A Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service dealt onslaught on smugglers and their collaborators throughout the month of September.
The third quarter came to a conclusion in September, bringing us closer to the end of the year, when smugglers exhibit greater desperation. The unit made a number of seizures totaling N622,407, 586 in duty payments.
“We also recovered the sum of N107,816,622.75 for the period under review in our efforts to prevent losses to the government.” The largest find in September, 1,955 bales of worn clothing were found in an abandoned building at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.
“We used a combination of information, subtlety, and enforcement techniques to make the finding and evacuate the area. The same time frame saw the discovery of a sizable stash of premium motor spirit (PMS) cunningly hidden within sacks at the Badagry Axis in Lagos State.
Other seizures noted during the same time frame include: 7,328 x 50 kg bags of imported parboiled rice; 121,550 l of premium motor spirit; 68 cartons of frozen poultry; 37 crates of eggs used to conceal rice; 150 kg parcels of Indian hemp; 10 pieces of military camouflage bags; 6 units of used cars (Tokunbo); 1 unit of a pump action rifle; 2 units of locally made guns; and 35 live cartridges.
“Five people were detained in relation to a few of the aforementioned seizures. It is interesting to note that the Federal High Court rendered three favorable decisions in favor of this Unit in three criminal cases, leading to the conviction of six individuals for possessing smuggled products.
“Used clothing smuggling affects our population’s economy and health. From the cotton farms to the textile and garment factories to our markets, the government in its wisdom wants the local textile industry to enjoy protection and generate more jobs for Nigerians. The very serious health consequences of this act of textile smuggling include the exposure of users to fungal and skin conditions that can be spread by wearing unclean second-hand clothing, such as scabies.
The globe is currently on edge due to monkeypox, whose route of transmission includes clothing. A World Health Organization fact sheet claims that “monkeypox” is spread to people through direct contact with an animal or person who has the disease, as well as through items that have been contaminated with the virus. By coming into intimate contact with lesions, bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects like bedding, the monkeypox virus can spread from one person to another.
It is a viral zoonotic illness that mostly affects tropical rainforest regions in central and west Africa, with sporadic exportations to other locations.
“Due to the volatile nature of the seized petroleum products, we were able to dispose of them safely. I want to urge patriotic residents of border areas where gasoline is smuggled to come see us so that we can promptly intercept, seize, and make arrests. At the hands of smugglers, these volumes of petroleum products might destroy towns and put people’s lives and property in jeopardy in the event of a fire. We are aware that as the holiday season approaches, smugglers become more desperate.
As a result, we are planning ahead to not only seize their goods but also to arrest them and subject them to legal action.
Our people and logistics are currently being fully deployed in order to accomplish our objectives. We are exceedingly appreciative of Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali, Comptroller-General of Customs, and his management group for their assistance in making our accomplishments possible.
