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Contraband valued at over N200 million have been seized from August to date by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone “D”, Bauchi, Bauchi State.
The Public Relations Officer, NCS, FOU, Bauchi, Umar Abdullahi, who disclosed this in a statement signed and issued to journalists in the state on Monday, stated that the Federal Operation Unit comprises Bauchi, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Borno, Plateau, Benue, Gombe, and Nasarawa states, with headquarters in Bauchi.
He said that some of the items seized were 542 bags of 50 kilogrammes of foreign parboiled rice, four sacks containing 165 kilogrammes of pangolin shells, 487 bags of Urea fertilizer and 250 cartons of foreign spaghetti.
Others are 191 bales of second hand clothing, 110 Jerry cans of Petroleum Motor Spirit popularly known as petrol, 70 cartons of foreign soaps, and 32 Jerry cans of 25 litres of Kerosene, 130 jerry cans of 20 litrer of engine oil and 10 bags of dried donkey skins.
Abdullahi said that no fewer than seven vehicles of different brands used in conveying the prohibited items were also seized by the operatives of the dervice, adding that the actions of the Customs operatives were in line with the provisions of Section 8 and Section 158 (Power to Patrol Freely) of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as amended.
He added that the unprecedented seizures within the short time were achieved as a result of sharing of information, intelligence gathering and doggedness of the officers and men of the Federal Operations Unit Zone D in making the zone unbearable for smugglers.
“Let me use this medium to plead with well-meaning Nigerians to assist in providing genuine information that could aid in eradicating the menace of smuggling in the zone and the country at large.
“They have to know that eradicating smuggling in this country will boost the economy which will make the Federal Government provide social amenities to the citizenry,” he said.
The NCS Spokesman warned smugglers to repent from their criminal activities because the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service, Zone ‘D’ under the able leadership of the Comptroller, Musa Ibrahim Jalo, will not relent in its efforts at ridding the zone of smugglers.
