Officers of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Lagos, have seized two trucks of contraband goods worth several millions of naira.
In the trucks were six suspected smugglers. The Customs accosted them on the Badagry Expressway, last Wednesday.
The smugglers, who hit the expressway from a bush near the Federal Government College, Ijanikin, with their specially-built vehicles loaded with contraband, were probably on their way to Alaba Rago Market in Ojo area of the state before they were intercepted by the Customs men.
Eye witnesses said the smugglers were daring, considering their number.
When The Nation visited the scene at about 8:00 am, the Customs officers were still arguing with the smugglers. As the argument was going on, the smugglers called their colleagues on phone to come to their aid and stop the officers from seizing their goods. They threatened to burn the Customs vehicle and attack any officer who stood on their way. Within a few minutes of their call many of the smugglers colleagues arrived the scene
Although the Customs officers were armed, they told the smugglers why the vehicles and the items were seized. But their words fell on deaf ears. Instead, the smugglers threatened the officers with charms which they brandished.
As tension built up, one of the officers attempted to jump into his vehicle with Registration Number CS 183 HQ, threatening to call for re-enforcement.
For over 40 minutes, the smugglers continued to mobilise their members while the Customs insisted that the two seized vehicles parked in front of the Conoil Filling Station before Iyana-Ira Bus Stop would not be released to them.
The face-off lasted for over two hours before the smugglers were dislodged.
Investigation by The Nation revealed that the six smugglers, who specialised in using rickety vehicles for their illegal business along the porous borders, were accosted by men of the FOU near Iyana-Ira Bus Stop on the expressway.
The operation, investigation revealed, was in futherance of the renewed war by the Comptroller of the unit, Dan Ugo, to stem smuggling in Lagos, Ogun and Ondo states.
Large quantities of contraband goods have been seized by the unit during its operations.
In the last few months, goods worth several billions of naira have been impounded by officers of the FOU Zone A, while several suspected smugglers have been arrested with some charged to court.
An eye witness, Mr Bolaji Kazeem, who spoke with The Nation, blamed the persistent harassment and attacks on Customs officers on community leaders around the border areas, who, according to him, have failed to educate their people on the dangers of smuggling to the economy.
“The officers are not on the road on their own. The job was given to them by the Federal Government to stem the cycle of criminalities around our borders and checkmate economic sabouteurs. As you can see them, they have guns that are more sophisticated than that of the Customs and they also have deadly charms,” Kazeem said.
Another eye witness at the Conoil Filling Station, who refused to give his name, blamed the government and the smugglers for the crisis.
He said after almost 15 years of democracy, the government has failed to provide employment for the people, a factor which has led some youths to engage in smuggling and other crimes.
He blamed the smugglers for sabotaging the efforts of the government at revamping the economy.
“The government is not doing enough to provide employment for the youth and that is why many of them engage in crime.
“Sometimes, you see the smugglers carrying goods that are smelling and they still find their ways to the market. They use perfume to reduce the bad odour so that unsuspecting consumers will buy them. That is why we see many people dying after eating some smuggled items.
“Sometimes, you also see the smugglers carrying goods without stopping for routine check and any attempt to stop them by Customs men results in fracas,” he said.
A senior Customs officer, who spoke with The Nation on the condition of anonymity, said some of the youth in the border areas see smuggling as a means of livelihood.
“When we arrest some of these people, they will tell you that the land belongs to them and that fayawo (smuggling) is their own crude oil. But we will continue to resist them, as far as what they are doing is against the law,” the officer said.
