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Tag: Nigerian Customs Service (NCS)

  • Fake Customs officer arraigned for ‘defrauding’ Soun of N39.5m

    Fake Customs officer arraigned for ‘defrauding’ Soun of N39.5m

    A man, Mr Ali Muhammed, was on Tuesday arraigned by the Oyo State Police Command for allegedly defrauding the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, of N39,5million on the pretext of selling him a car by auction by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

    The 45-year-old suspect was arraigned at a magistrates’ court in Ogbomoso on a four-count charge.

    The suspect, according to the charge sheet with the number MOC/234c/C/2025, presented himself as the NCS Comptroller in Oyo State with a promise to auction a car to the monarch. The act was described as impersonation, which the sheet said is contrary and punishable under Section 484 of the Criminal Code Cap 38. Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

    The charge sheet read: “That you, Ali Muhammed, ‘M’ and others at large, between October 12 and 19, 2025, at Oja-Igbo, Ogbomoso, in Ogbomoso Magisterial District did conspire with one another to commit felony to wit: obtaining money under false pretence, stealing and impersonation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

    “COUNT II: That you Ali Muhammed, ‘M’ and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District with intent to defraud and obtain N39,500,000 from Oba Ghandi Olaoye ‘m’ under the pretence of selling auctioned vehicles and bags of rice to him which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 419 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

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    “COUNT III: That you Ali Muhammed ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did steal and fraudulently convert N9,500,000 to your own use property of Oba Ghandi Olaoye ‘m’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

    “COUNT IV: – That you Ali Muhammed ‘M’ and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did falsely represent yourself to be the Comptroller of Customs, Oyo/Osun Command, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, ‘m’ with intent to defraud Oba Ghandi Olaoye ‘m’ of N39,500,000 and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 484 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Qyo State of Nigeria, 2000.”

    Muhammed pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges. He was granted bail of N5 million with two sureties living within the court’s jurisdiction.

    Hearing was adjourned to January 28, next year.

  • Customs intercepts container with donkey genitals

    Customs intercepts container with donkey genitals

    Operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) acting on credible intelligence have intercepted a 1x40ft container loaded with donkey genitals along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway, as they confirm the persistence of illegal wildlife trafficking networks in exploiting Nigeria’s corridors.

    The interception was carried out under a coordinated surveillance by officers of the Special Wildlife Office (SWO) and Customs Intelligent Units (CIU), the donkey genitals will be  officially handed over to National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), after concluding the documentation.

    The National Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada disclosed this during the seizure and handover of donkey genitals intercepted by the special wildlife office in Abuja, stating that this seizure is not an isolated incident. Over the past 12 months, the SWO  has uncovered and disrupted multiple illicit wildlife trafficking operations across the country.

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    He named some of the recovered animals as  six African Grey Parrots, the arrest of one suspect in December 2024 at Kano, the interception of two live pangolins, five Mona monkeys, two Tantalus monkeys, one baby baboon and an African Grey Parrot at Lagos Airport in May 2025.

    He said: “We are informing the general public about the Nigeria Customs Service’s latest seizure of prohibited wildlife products and to give a broader perspective on our ongoing enforcement efforts through our Special Wildlife Office. This briefing also demonstrate our unwavering commitment to protecting endangered species, preserving biodiversity, and upholding Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

    “In recent years, the NCS has scaled up its anti-wildlife trafficking operations through the establishment of the SWO, domiciled within the CIU. This specialised operation is saddled with intelligence gathering, profiling, investigation, and coordinated enforcement targeting transnational criminal networks that profit from the exploitation of endangered wildlife species”.

    Speaking,  Assistant Comptroller-General, Samaila  Mani, in charge of the Wildlife Office highlighted the achievements of seizure of Illicit Wildlife Products from between December 2024 and June 2025, nothing that, the team has successfully intercepted the following, 6087.9 kg of Pangolin scales 15kg of  Ivory, 157 Live African Grey Parrots, 20 green Parrots, 4 live Senegal Parrots, 2 Budgies, 6 live Monkeys, 4 live Pangolins 3022 donkey skins, 37 Taxidermist, 16 Zebra Skins and 10603 Male Donkey Genitals.

  • Customs seizes 39 vehicles, others

    THE Northern Zone of the Comptroller General Strike Force of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has disclosed effecting seizures of 71 items including 39 vehicles smuggled through the land borders with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N367,235,139:00 in the month of June and July, 2019.

    The Coordinator of the Strike Force in Zone ‘B’  Deputy Comptroller of Customs (DCC) Baba Kura Kolobe made the disclosure in Kaduna while briefing newsmen and showing them round the seized smuggled items.

    In his disclosure also, he said about four suspects in connection to the smuggled items were arrested and currently granted administrative bail.

    Read Also: Customs seizes 589 bags of rice worth N10m

    According to DCC Kolobe, the breakdown of the seizures are “5,679 (50kg) bags of foreign parboiled rice, 1,953 bales of second hand clothing, 1,095 (25ltrs) jerry cans of vegetable oil and 39 vehicles including those smuggled through the land borders popularly referred to as “Tokunbo” all with DPV of N367, 235,139:00.”

    He appreciated the support of Customs personnel and sister agencies without which the successes would not have been achieved .

    ”In the same vein, we advise the trading public to conduct their businesses within the ambit of the law, as the renewed vigour by our officers and men will not relent in their efforts in ensuring that Die-Hard smugglers are arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.

    ”We call on all especially our friends in the business community and the media to partner with us to make Nigeria a better place for us all where industrialization support youth employment.

  • ‘How we facilitate six-hour cargo clearing’

    For the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Area Comptroller of Ports Terminal Multiservice Limited (PTML) Command, Lagos, Mrs Florence Olasunbo Dixon, maximum collection of revenue at a model port dedicated to Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo) is not negotiable. This, she says, is evident in the command’s increased monthly revenue. In this interview, Mrs Dixon tells MUYIWA LUCAS that blocking leakages and persistent enlightenment against infractions are working for her.

    Your area is one of the country’s prominent Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo) cargo ports. What are the specific peculiarities that differentiate this command from others across the country?

    The PTML can be described as a mini port. We deal meanly in RoRo vehicles and containerised vehicles too. We don’t deal much in containerised cargoes.

    What was your total revenue collection for last year? What was your command’s contribution to the Custom’s N1trillion target?

    We made N120,368,433,364 from January to December last year; that is, 22 per cent increase from 2017 when compared to 2018. We actually did not meet our target; which  was N122billion but we managed to make N120billion.

    Appraise stakeholders’ compliance level on a scale of zero to 100 per cent. How are they complying with the rules?

    I will say 75 per cent because you still find some loopholes. We are trying gradually with the enlightenment, collaboration and communication.

    We hold meetings with them, reminding them about the rules and why they must stay compliant at all times. Many are complying but you will still find some minute number of people attempting to do it wrongly but we are on top of the game. Our vigilance is high and will continue to increase.

    How does x-factory price of imported vehicles influence duty calculation and collection at PTML?

    I think it’s the same everywhere. We rely on x-factory price for duty collection on used vehicles mainly. For brand new cars, they require PAAR (Pre Arrival Assessment Report); so, when they get the PAAR, we treat them, but to a large extent, we rely on x-factory price on used vehicle. Sometimes if we notice that there are differences or we are not satisfied, we can query, increase and uplift the value, to prevent revenue loss.

     How did you fare in 2018? What is the value of the seizures you made and suspects arrested, if any?

    This is generally a revenue area. We are not an enforcement area and I can say that we have a high level of compliance by our trading community and stakeholders here. We don’t have any seizures per se we didn’t record any.

    What are your achievements since your assumption of office? What have you done differently from your predecessors?

    Well, I followed in their footsteps because all my predecessors achieved successes, so I followed in their footsteps. But I tried to make a little difference here and there by exceeding my target, particularly in last October, November, December and January this year.

    Customs is fast embracing technology – PAAR and NICIS II. To what extent has this latest Customs technology influenced your operation?

    I will say it makes the work easier and there are  lots of transparency. Because everything is online and it makes the job faster. Actually, it saves time and impacts positively on the overall degree of efficiency here.

    How fast is it to clear a cargo at PTML by a compliant trader?

    I am happy you used that word compliant trader. If you make  honest declaration under six hours, you can get your consignments released. This is why adherence to compliance principles is in the interest of all. It saves time and cost while boosting revenue collection.

    How are you implementing the government’s ease of doing business policy in trade facilitation even with poor access roads?

    We have infrastructural challenge because there is no good access road from Mile 2 end to this place but we are trying in our own little way. We treat jobs promptly, which is encouraging people to come to PTML. We don’t delay work and we engaged our stakeholders, from time to time we meet with them, we try to resolve issues, so generally we are experiencing some peace.

  • Osun Polls: Police talk tough, to arrest errant politicians

    …28,000 security operatives for polls, flash points identified

    …US declares process peaceful

    The police on Friday warned governors and other politicians alleged to be in Osun State to respect the Electoral Act and stay away from election areas or face arrest.

    Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Josak Habila and the coordinator of the joint security Taskforce for the election stated this during separate meetings with observers from National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Republican Institute (IRI) as well as the United States Mission at the state command headquarters in Osogbo.

    Habila was answering questions from the leader of the observers’ delegation, John Tomaszweski who asked what the police would do to some governors said to be in the state.

    He said: “I do not know if there are governors in the state. Maybe, they came to give supports to their members and friends but they must know that they are not to be found anywhere elections are going on.

    “They should also respect the restriction of movement because anyone caught breaking the rules will be dealt with no matter how highly placed.”

    On the fears about vote buying, Habila said the ban on the use of mobile phones as well as the deployment of six uniformed security agents per polling unit were meant to address that situation, adding that intelligence squad have also been deployed to various parts of the state.

    On the strength of security operatives deployed for the exercise, the DIG said there were 28,000 comprising the police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Directorate of State Services (DSS) and the military.

    Also, a Police Mobile Force unit (PMF) comprising 63 operatives and 10 patrol vehicles has been deployed to each of the local government areas of the state.

    He denied allegations that too many security operatives were deployed to the state, noting that the deployment was lesser than what was obtained in Ekiti.

    Habila said: “Remember there was a lot of outcry, allegations that Ekiti was an army of occupation and police brought in a large number of people to intimidate and prevent people from voting. That was not true. Those who were in Ekiti saw the street and saw that just the needed security. There was no overflow of security.

    “For this election, we decided to deploy lesser than the number during Ekiti. One of the reasons for this decision was that Osun has been known to be peaceful. In the last two years, Osun has been one of the states with the lowest crime rate. Secondly, we ensured we deployed the minimally required because we do not want to waste human and material resources.

    “For this election, we have 28,000 security operatives. That is for the police and other security services. I belief there are sponsors who have written a script and are rehearsing it.

    “We will not give opportunity for anyone to do so. We will not occupy any place to intimidate or oppress anyone. We are as ready as ever to ensure that this election is peaceful.

    “We have learnt lessons from previous elections and so, we want to see on Saturday, a civil and helpful security. A security that will give an insight of a more improved security come 2019 general elections.

    “We have men on standby duty, patrol and we have posted some to national assets that people could vandalize if they are not pleased with results of the elections. We made preparations for five days before and five days after elections. “That is what we are doing. We are careful in ensuring we do not just protect the process but also protect vulnerable public facility in Osun State as a whole.  At the moment, there has been no request for boats in Osun State but the contiguous states like Ondo and Ibadan have standby boats.

    “Remember we also deployed helicopters for this election so, we can do ground to air communication. We will give our best to this election.”

    The DIG said electoral materials were received by the commander in charge of protection on Friday morning, adding that operatives deployed for their safety were already protecting them.

    “As I speak, electoral materials have been taken to registration area council and super registration area council. There, they will be pinned down and tomorrow morning, these materials will get to the various wards and polling units.

    Read Also: Osun polls: I have no anointed candidate – Aregbesola

    “A lot of the policemen are standing at the point where they will provide security to ballot box, INEC officials and others including observers. We are prepared. Our morale are high because the federal government provided our allowances.

    “The instruction was given to the Inspector-General of Police and he complied. We got our alerts a long time ago from our finance department. Other security agencies confirmed to me that they have paid their men. So, morale of security personnel are very high and we are ready to work and have our money in our pocket,” he said.

    Emphasizing that there would be restriction of movement, Habila said it would commence by 12am.

    “This election is for Osun people not Ondo or any neighboring state. You do not have business coming in. That is why we will lock down the state so that those who want to come in can let us know their reason.

    “I have visited various parts of the state to access the presence of policemen and the tempo. We have done threat analyses in the past and updated them on arrival for this election.

    “So far, the state has been peaceful. Pre-election activities including campaign and rallies went on peacefully. I expect Saturday’s election to be peaceful too.

    “That notwithstanding, we have very encompassing contingency plans. We know there are flash points and so, we brought in the tactical squad (Police Mobile Force), the Explosives Ordinance Disposal (EOD) department, the IGP Intelligence Unit, the Force Animal branch- Sniffer and Attack dogs.

    “We have all sections including other security agencies. We have Mobile Policemen on standby for visibility policing. They will continue to avoid the polling units but will patrol all flash points so that response to distress calls will be swift. So that there would not be incidence of harassment, molestation.

    “We want to create a very conducive atmosphere for people to come out and cast their votes. We intend to add quality and uphold the integrity of the election. This is about the last stand-alone election and we want to give it the best.

    “We want other countries especially African nations to learn from us. This election will be civil and we will perform to international standard. Accredited journalists will not be restricted from doing their jobs. All INEC has said is that voters will not be allowed to take their phones to voting points.

    They should drop it for a minute or two. We will support INEC to ensure that directive is complied with.

    “The Electoral Act 2011 clearly spelled out offences on election day. If you shout the slogan of a political party, you have committed an offence.

    “If you wear the dress of a party or aspirant, it is an offence. If you come in with a loud speak shouting the slogan of any party, it is an offence. If you canvass for vote or prevent anyone from voting, you have committed an offence.

    If you snatch an electoral material from officials, it is an offence.

    So, we will be looking out for offenders.”

    During their visit, the Deputy Chief of Mission, United States Embassy, Abuja, David Young said he was satisfied with the steps taken by the police and Independent National  Electoral Commission  (INEC) to curb vote buying and other electoral malpractices that was of concern to them.

    He also noted the peace in Osun State since his arrival, adding that there was improvement in this year’s election compared to previous ones.

    Young, who was accompanied by Consul General John Bray and other senior officials of the mission, said the US sent a team of 50 observers for the election who are interested in a free, fair and credible process, insisting that they were not in the state to support any candidate

     

  • Navy confiscates 3,574 bags of smuggled rice in Calabar

    Navy confiscates 3,574 bags of smuggled rice in Calabar

    Naval personnel attached to the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory in Calabar, have arrested a large wooden boat laden with 3,574 bags of foreign rice worth N53.6 million smuggled from Cameroon republic.

    They also arrested three suspects found in the boat that came from Cameroon and heading for Calabar.

    Commander of NNS Victory, Commodore Julius Nwagu, said on Thursday in Calabar that the arrest was made along the Calabar waterway in the early hours of Feb. 27, when they got information about the activities of the suspected smugglers.

    Addressing newsmen at the NNS Victory Jetty before handing over the items and suspects to the Nigerian Customs Service ( NCS ), Nwagu said that it took the command two and half  days to offload the bags of rice from the wooden boat.

    “In the early hours of Feb. 27, we got information about a boat laden with rice and my patrol team arrested the boat and three suspects on board. We brought the boat to base and offloaded the rice.

    “It took us two and a half days to offload the content. After counting, we got 3, 574 bags valued at N53.6million.

    “We will hand them over to the Nigerian Customs Service for further investigation and prosecution.

    “I want to tell the general public that the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas will not leave any stone unturned in pursuing those involved in any form of criminality.

    “We in the Eastern Naval Command, particularly NNS Victory, are all out to fight criminality at any level,’’ Nwagu said.

    Mr Joshua Omachi, the Calabar Area Assistant Comptroller of Customs in charge of Marine Command, who received the items and suspects, commended the Navy for the feat.

    Omachi said that the rice would be evacuated to the government warehouse of the Customs Area Command in Calabar, while the suspects would be prosecuted.

    One of the suspects, Moses Azazi, told our reporter that they knew that what they had on board was a contraband.

    “We were bringing the rice from Cameroon and were arrested by the Navy. We are aware it was a contraband.

    “I don’t know the owner of the rice. We were just asked to transport it to Calabar from Kondo in Cameroon,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Breaking: Operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service shoot man to death in Lagos

    Breaking: Operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service shoot man to death in Lagos

    Trigger-happy operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service  ( NCS ) on Wednesday morning killed a man at Oko-Oba, Lagos.

    The operatives were said to have opened fire after they sighted a bus suspected to be carrying smuggled rice.

    It was gathered that a young man, alleged to be a smuggler was shot on the head.

    According to witnesses, the Customs officers riddled vehicles around the seen with bullets as they fled.

    “There would have been serious riot this morning at Abule Egba but for the intervention of policemen from the Rapid Response Squad ( RRS ).

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    “Those Customs people have started again this year. They shot a young man on the head this morning. They were just shooting like drunkards. Blood

    is everywhere,” said a source.

     

  • Vehicles dealers seek reduction of duty payment to 20 percent

    Vehicles dealers seek reduction of duty payment to 20 percent

    Members of the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) Tuesday pleaded with the Federal Government to reduce the duty pay value on imported vehicles from its current 35 percent to 20 percent.

    According to the association’s National President Ajibola Adedoyin, there has been an onslaught on all unduly vehicles at various car parks across the nation by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and even in some instances including the Nigerian Army.

    He raised the alarm in a press conference in Abuja.

    He noted that the NCS operatives have seized about 400 vehicles worth N1.7billion from different car parks across the country.

    He however noted that it was the government’s automotive policy which was to encourage the patronage of made in Nigeria vehicles that led to the rise in customs duty and levies.

    “The rate is too high. It is the Nigerian populace that buy the vehicles that bears the cost and the pains,” he said.

    The National President recalled that the upon the introduction of the 35 per cent vehicle duty payment, the NCS Comptroller- General, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) only allowed the dealers a slim window if six weeks to come down and pay duty on all unduty vehicles in their car parks.

    He said that owing to the confusion that the short window created, most of the dealers did not key into the window, which has now made them susceptible to the onslaught of the NCS.

    The association that said it will not in any way support any form of illegality, noted that it was seeking the Customs management another opportunity for all the members to submit their vehicles in their car parks for duty payment.

    Continuing, Adedoyin added that “we are quite aware intension of the CG is to block all loopholes and generate revenue for the government in order to carry out its development policies and not to kill existing businesses.

    “Our plea is based on the reasoning that given the window the palpable fear will reduce; NCS will generate more funds for the government while our members’ investment will be protected and further sack of staff will be halted.

    “If given the opportunity AMDON will work with NCS to ensure strict compliance, while we continue to discourage the smuggling of vehicles.”

  • Customs’ Eastern Area Command generates N4.89bn

    Customs’ Eastern Area Command generates N4.89bn

     The Enugu, Anambra, and Ebonyi Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service ( NCS ) has generated N4.89 billion within eight months.

    The Area Comptroller, Mr Suleiman Mohammed, made the disclosure to newsmen on Monday at a stakeholders meeting in Enugu.

    Mohammed said that the N4.89 billion was about 45.3 per cent of the projected revenue target of the area command for the year.

    According to him, the 2017 revenue target of customs for the three states is N10.84 billion

    “The total amount realised as at August (from Jan. 1) stood at “Four Billion, Eight Hundred and Ninety Five Million, Three Hundred and Eleven Thousand, Eight Hundred and Five Naira, Seventy Seven Kobo (N4, 895,311,805.77) representing 45.3 per cent of the target for the year,’’ he said.

    The comptroller attributed the shortfall in revenue of the agency to the lack of border areas in the three states under the command.

    He said: “the three states covered by the command have no land borders and as such no frontier stations, rather it’s an excise oriented area with at least 20 excise factories under its control.

    “Besides, only 14 excise factories are functional presently whole six are temporarily closed-down.”

    Also speaking, Chief Raymond Okonkwo, the Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders ( NAGAFF ), urged stakeholders in freight industry to tackle facilities related problems at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

    Okonkwo said: “there is a need for stakeholders who have interest in the development of the airport structure to come together to ensure that things are the way they should.

    “The run-way at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport is not of the standard to attract international flights.

    “When facilities at any airport runs short of international regulations, you know that there is a problem as no airline will put his aircraft at risk.’’

    Speaking, the representative of Triax Group of Companies, Chief Emeka Okeke, called on South-East governors to join hands with the Enugu State governor to see that the airport becomes truly international in its operation.

    “We should not leave this thing for one state alone. I don’t know why the governments of the South-East states should not come to support this international airport project.

    “Let us start with one international airport before talking of cargo airport and the rest of them.

    “Enugu is the main eastern-base and this problem should be addressed squarely,’’ Okeke said.

  • Senate, Customs settle rift

    Senate, Customs settle rift

    • Smuggling our greatest undoing, says Saraki

    The lingering crisis of confidence between the Senate and the leadership of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) may have been laid to rest.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Monday gave the Comptroller General of NCS. Col. Hameed Ali, the leeway to “jeans and T-Shirt” to office if that would enable him to tackle and end massive smuggling of goods into the country.

    The Senate had insisted on Ali wearing of Customs’ uniform before he could be accepted in any of its committees.

    Saraki who spoke at an investigative hearing on smuggling in the country, vowed that the Senate would stop at nothing to stamp out all forms of smuggling from Nigeria.

    Talking about the role of the NCS in the battle against smugglers Saraki said, “For the Comptroller General of Customs, let me say on a lighter note, that once you end smuggling, even if you want to wear jeans and T-Shirt, I will move the motion that you should wear jeans and T-Shirt. But on a serious note, this issue is very important. Let us all work towards ending this menace once and for all.”

    Saraki who said that NCS must do whatever it takes to stop smuggling insisted that smugglers must be checked at all cost.

    He described smugglers as the largest economic saboteurs that are ruining the country’s economy who must be identified.

    Underscoring the necessity for the investigative public hearing, Saraki noted that his personal presence along with Senate leader is to underscore the importance that the Senate places on the issue of smuggling.

    He said, “For me personally, it is my view that the singular greatest threat to our economy is this issue of smuggling. The singular greatest threat to the success of our government is this issue of smuggling. The singular greatest threat to the deliverance of the promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari on the diversification of the economy is this issue of smuggling.

    “The level of smuggling that we are seeing cannot continue because they will definitely rubbish all the policies of government if allowed to go on. I am saying that with all sincerity and all level of responsibility and I tell you why.

    “Today, the greatest threat to smallholder farmers is smuggling. Today farmers who have gone to take loans either from the CBN or from commercial banks are being threatened by rice coming in from across the borders which at subsidized rate. The meaning of that is that the imported rice will always be cheaper than those produced by our local farmers.

    “A time will come, if we do not do anything that these farmers will not be able to pay their loans to the banks and these will result in serious crisis. For the banks that have given loans to these farmers, will also have crisis in their hands. And for the Central that has intervened with billions of Naira, again will not be able to recoup their money. The processors who have invested in rice mills at the beginning of this administration will also be threatened if we do not address the issue of rice smuggling. As a country we have invested over $7billion over the last 10 years in stimulating local production.

    “If we do not address the area of smuggling, this investment will go to waste. This is the severity of the issue before us today. There is no institution, whether it is the National Assembly any other institution, in order to support the success of our President we must join to stop smuggling, without it, we should just forget the issue of diversification or agricultural production. We will only pay lip service to issue of agricultural production if we do not address the issue of smuggling and that is why I made it a point to come here personally to drive this message.”

    Saraki also said that individuals behind smuggling of goods into the country must be exposed.

    He said, “There is no government, any serious government that will render itself helpless because we must know the individuals who are doing this smuggling. We must be able to know who they are. Is it that they are larger and bigger than government? Is it that we cannot stop them? Or is it that we don’t want to stop them? Or is that we lack the competence to stop them? These are the questions that we put before us today. We must stop them.”

    He said that the country should sanction officers who are aiding and abating smuggling and as well as reward officers who prevent smuggling.

    On the connection of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) Saraki noted that although Nigeria is part of the regional body, “no serious country will allow anything that will ruin its economy at the benefit of its neighboring countries.”