By Hussaina Yakubu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’, says it has seized items with duty paid value of N51.44 million within two weeks.
Mr Al-Bashir Hamisu, the Comptroller of the Unit, gave the figure while briefing newsmen on the seizure on Friday in Kaduna.
He said the unlawful goods were impounded between March 22 and April 8, 2021.
The comptroller identified the goods to include 801 bags of foreign par boiled rice in 50kg; 180 cartons of foreign spaghetti and 81 kegs of vegetable oil.
He also listed 48 bales of second hand clothes; 28 bags of foreign rice in 25kg and cartons of foreign milk among others.
The comptroller said that eight vehicles used for smuggling activities were impounded within the period under review, adding that the items were confiscated around Babura in Jigawa.
Hamisu attributed the successes recorded by the command to the improved capacity of the unit’s officers.
He, however, kicked against the attitude of some unpatriotic citizens who were aiding and abetting smuggling in the zone.
According to him, the cooperation being accorded the agency and its officials from the border community has reduced drastically.
“The general public is not with us, especially those at the border community; they are now on the side of the smugglers.”
Hamisu called for more collaboration with other sister agencies to record more successes.
The comptroller, however, called for more cooperation from members of the public, to enable them to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and ensure the success of government’s economic policies.
Hamisu advised vehicle owners to caution their drivers against transporting prohibited items. (NAN)
