The Nation Newspaper

Tag: smuggled

  • Customs intercepts 12,720 smuggled bags of rice

    Operatives of Ogun State Customs Command have intercepted no fewer than 12,720 bags of rice, among other contraband.

    This was disclosed  by the Customs Area Controller, Mr Michael Agbara at the Idiroko command headquarters.

    He said: ‘’The command between January and March 2019 made 226 seizures comprising  83 units of vehicles, 12,720 bags of foreign rice,  446 kegs of vegetable oil. Others include 6 sacks of used footwear, 583 packs of used tyres and 550 kegs of PMS.’’

    Agbara also disclosed the seizure of 1.8 tons of cannabis consisting of 176 sacks, 120 compressed book packs and 21 compressed coconut packs of Indian hemp.

    Giving out the score card of his command for the first quarter of 2019 fiscal year, Agbara said the command recorded significant increase in revenue generation posting a total revenue of N3, 258, 628,190.50 for the period under review.

    He condemned the recent attacks on his men by suspected smugglers which led to loss of lives and property.

    He added that the suspected killers of a Customs operative, Hamisu Sani are currently being prosecuted, while three suspects who recently attacked operatives at Papalanto had been arrested.

    He said “The suspects have been arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abeokuta and are currently on remand in prison for obstruction of officers while on duty armed with dangerous weapons in contravention of section 11 of CEMA CAP 45 LFN 2004 as amended.

    “Also, the smugglers who mobilized okada riders to attack officers and even vandalized our sign post at Quarry road, Abeokuta on Saturday 23rd March 2019 has been apprehended and is presently undergoing interrogation prior to arraignment in court”.

  • Ogun customs seize N84m smuggled goods

    Ogun customs seize N84m smuggled goods

    The Ogun State Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted smuggled goods worth N85 million.

    The contrabands were intercepted within one week during which four operatives of the command were injured and an operational vehicle smashed by the smugglers.

    Speaking during a press briefing at the Idiroko Customs Area Command on Thursday, the Ogun State Controller of Customs, Sani Madugu said the feat was recorded following intelligence and relentless efforst of his men.

    He said that despite the attack on his men, Customs operatives were able to repel the fiendish smugglers.

    The contrabands include seven fairly used cars and one brand new Hilux van, 1,479 bags of foreign rice, two Boxer motorcycles, 78 kegs of vegetable oil and nine other vehicles used by smugglers to convey the rice.

    Madugu noted that about 11,000 bags of rice had been donated by the Ogun Area Customs Command to the Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) in the northeast.

    He said:” an Anti-smuggling activity in the Ogun Area Customs Command is ongoing. We are succeeding every day. Yestreday, we had a tough one with smugglers in the Idiroko axis but we thank God that we succeeded in evacuating our seizures unhurt.We were able to intercept a brand new Toyota Hilux van. We have a couple of other seizure including five fairly used cars parked in a hidden place. We are following the smugglers by using intelligence and we don’t need to fight with them on the road.

    ‘’We have devised new strategy for fighting smuggling activities and we are getting results. Over 1,400 bags of rice were among the seizures and nine vehicles used to convey the rice. In all, we have a total number of seven fairly used(Tokunbo) vehicles and a brand new white Toyota Hilux van among the contrabands. The goods are worth N84,067,953 and the seizure was recorded within one week.

    ‘’ During the operation, the smugglers threw stones at our men and vehicles. One of the operational pick up vehicles was smashed; they broke its windscreen and doors while four of our operatives were wounded. One of the wounded officers are here while others are responding to treatment in a hospital. Efforts are ongoing to arrest the smugglers and their collaborators ; they will be prosecuted after their arrest.”

    Madugu said his Command cannot be intimidated by smugglers, warning those engage in the illicit to desist from the nefarious business in their own interest.

  • Navy intercepts boat with 80 bags of smuggled rice

    The Nigerian Navy said it had intercepted a boat carrying 80 bags of rice allegedly smuggled into the country from Benin Republic through water ways.

    A statement by the spokesman of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Lt. Elizabeth Ibrahim, said the operatives attached to its Forward Operation Base (FOB), Badagry, intercepted the rice.

    The statement reads: “A wooden boat being used to ferry the bags of rice was also intercepted by naval operatives while on a patrol at the Iyana-Ipaahi water ways around the Badagry creeks.

    “The Commanding Officer, FOB Badagry, Capt. Abdulhakeem Ojebode, who handed over the seized bags of rice to the personnel of the Nigerian Customs, said the suspects jumped into the river on sighting the naval operatives. The operation also goes in line in supporting the Nigerian Customs in its duty of ensuring that smugglers don’t use our waterways to bring items adjudged contraband into Nigeria.”

    The statement also quoted the Deputy Comptroller Enforcement, Western Marine Command, Nigerian Customs, Mr Usman Abubakar, as commending the effectiveness of the navy’s intelligence gathering.

    “I appeal for continuous assistance from the navy to reduce smuggling to the barest minimum,” Abubakar said.

    He warned smugglers to desist from sabotaging the efforts of the government in revamping the economy.

    “The command will not relent in dealing with persons who decide to test the will of the customs and other security agencies,” he said.

  • Customs impound 1, 035 bags of smuggled rice

    Customs impound 1, 035 bags of smuggled rice

    The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun State Area Command, has impounded about 1,035 bags of smuggled rice from smugglers.

    The bags of rice were intercepted penultimate Sunday at Idogo Community near Ilaro in Yewa South Local Government Area of the state, while 10 vehicles used in smuggling them were also impounded.

    About seven truck-loads of unprocessed wood, allegedly being exported illegally out of the country were also seized penultimate Friday from smugglers from Republic of Benin.

    The unprocessed wood was seized from smugglers at Ijoun community in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State while being taken to Republic of Benin, according to the new Area Controller of Ogun State Area Command, Mr. Multafu Waindo.

    The vehicles used by the smugglers have Republic of Benin’s number plates and have been moved to the Abeokuta headquarters of the Ogun State Customs Command. Controller Waindo said the seizures marked the beginning of tough times for smugglers in the state.

    He said: “On February 5, 2016, our operatives arrested six trailers with number plates: AU3121RB, BA9064RB, AY7203RB, AV4002RB, BA7930RB and a truck with number plate AX3245RB, transporting unprocessed wood.

    “Unprocessed woods are prohibited from being exported out of the country. Only processed ones are allowed to be exported out of the country, and they must have been cut to small sizes. Five persons who were foreign nationals were arrested in connection with the act. They did not understand English; they only spoke French. They are currently being detained while preliminary investigations are ongoing.

    “In another development, on February 7, 2016, while acting on a tip-off, our operatives stormed the Idoko area and arrested 10 vehicles loaded with 1,035 bags of smuggled rice. The vehicles and the bags of smuggled rice were immediately taken to a government warehouse.

    “Despite the fact that some of the fleeing smugglers removed the batteries, tyres and steering wheels from the vehicles, we towed them down to Abeokuta.”

    The Ogun customs boss disclosed that the command had made about 55 seizures including 25 fairly-used vehicles, 1,161 cartons of frozen poultry products, second-hand tyres, cannabis sativa, and other items. He said: “The command has held meetings with stakeholders on the need to shun smuggling. Some have turned a new leaf while others turned deaf ears. I want to tell smugglers to follow the due process by paying the necessary duties on their goods. We are determined more than ever before to stop all illegalities in Ogun State.”

  • Ogun customs seizes hundreds of smuggled cars in raid of syndicate

    Ogun customs seizes hundreds of smuggled cars in raid of syndicate

    A cross-border  car smuggling syndicate has forfeited hundreds of exotic cars to the Ogun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service for allegedly bringing them in illegally from neighbouring Benin Republic.

    The vehicles were seized during a massive raid at the border town of  Idiroko,Ogun State.

    Also impounded during the raid were  cartons of frozen turkey and dozens of motorcycles  used by rice smugglers.

    Spokesman for the command, Abubakar Usman said the operation was made possible by ” the   vigilance of our men who took  proactive measures to contain the errant smugglers.”

    Usman said the smugglers resorted to firing at the Customs men   once they were intercepted but could not match the superior firepower of the law enforcement officers .

    “Many of the vehicles you are seeing here were intercepted from the notorious syndicate who resisted our men. They were  overpowered  and had to flee abandoning the vehicles,” he said.

    ”We  also seized many motorcycles from rice smugglers, and  cartons of turkey from illicit traders who tried to bring them from the Benin Republic into our territory through the bush .”

    The command said  it generated N3,401,647,417.34 as revenue in the first half of this year  as against   the N2,543,266,323.43 it realized within the corresponding  period in 2014.

    “Our command was able to record 515 seizures with Duty Paid Value(DPV) of N445,399,838.00; as against 733 seizures with DPV of N880,002,012.00 same period in 2014.The difference is 218 seizures with DPV of N434,602,174.00,”  he said.

    He added:“the formidable mechanism put in place by the Customs Area Controller, Mr. Haruna Mahmud, to curtail the menace of smuggling activities in the area led to the successes recorded so far.”

  • 80% of Nigerian gemstone is smuggled

    80% of Nigerian gemstone is smuggled

    If the gemstone produced in Nigeria, 80 per cent is being smuggled, said the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Architect Musa Sada.

    “In the Federal Executive Council meeting we were discussing the non-oil revenue and one of the biggest problems we have is smuggling and gemstone is one of the biggest culprits,” he said.

    He attributed the cause to lack of a common gemstone selling avenue in the country, noting that if the government does not provide an alternative the illicit trade would continue to thrive.

    According to the minister who was addressing a delegation from Oyo State Government in his office at Abuja, the impact of smuggling activities in the sector has unsettled the Federal Government.

    His words: “One of the biggest problems we have is smuggling. Gemstone is the biggest culprit. 80% of the gemstone being exploited in Nigeria is being smuggled. And that is worrisome and we thought the best way out of the challenge is to create avenue where people can sell because currently they are not there. That encourages them but if we have a place where we are keeping them then we can apprehend them.”

    The Oyo State deputy governor, Mr. Moses Adeyemo, who led the delegation, had earlier sought the assistance of the ministry for the building of a gemstone centre in the state.

    He told Sada that the state opened discussion to build the centre with the Federal Government through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) in 2005, “but it did not happen and that is why we are here today.”

    He also informed the minister that there is also a pending plan to build a marble deposit centre Gbeti .The deputy governor requested the minister to intimate the delegation on the way to accomplish the project.

  • Over 8,000 bags of rice smuggled into Nigeria daily, survey shows

    No fewer than 8,000 bags of rice worth over N56 million are smuggled into the country daily, it was learnt, over the weekend. They are smuggled through Ere River in Ado–Odo/Ota in Ogun State.

    The river, which links the country with Cotonou to Owode-Apa and Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, also links Gbaji and Badagry Lagoon up to the Atlantic Ocean.

    When The Nation visited the area last week, locally made boats carrying more than 1,000 bags of rice each, were being used to ferry the commodity into the country.

    Ere River is a rice smuggling point, yet to be discovered by Customs and other security officials posted to the area.

    The boats were seen offloading rice to vehicles that would carry them to places, such as Agbara, Sango-Ota, Ifo and Alaba-Rago Market, Iyana-Ipaja.

    The smugglers have been using the river for their illicit business for years.

    A motorcyclist, who took The Nation’s reporter to the river, alleged that some Customs officials are aware of the smugglers’ activities, but are handicapped because of the calibre of the people involved.

    “The reason I agreed to take you there is to tell you that there is nothing government can do to stop smuggling unless those in power provide employment for the youth.

    “I graduated from the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education more than six years ago but I have not been able to secure employment since I finished from the school. I make my money through the number of rice I convey to the market per day.

    “I am not the only youth involved; we are many. We use our motorcycles to survey where the Customs are staying at a particular time before we ask our vehicles to bring the rice to the road.

    “If you counted the number of people we met at that place, you will notice that they are no fewer than 80 and they are more than that. A majority of them are ex-security officers and the few serving ones have access to arms and ammunition and that was why I told you that it would be dangerous for you to use your camera.

    “The people you saw there are very deadly and they have wasted so many people that have threatened their business,” he said.

    A Customs officer from the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of Zone A at Agbara-Lusada road, said the Customs mounted surveillance in the areas because it suspects the smugglers have a hide-out there.

    Several bags of rice, he said, have been intercepted by hire teams on the axis.

    “Although, I don’t know where the river you mentioned is located, but we cannot deny that smuggling is going on around this place and that is why many of our officers have been posted to curtail the unpatriotic activities of the smugglers.

    “My experience since I was posted to this area is that there is the need for the Federal Executive Council and the Minister of Finance to address the issue of high port charges, which created incentive for tariff avoidance and smuggling, and support the good efforts of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi.

    “Those of us posted to curb the nefarious activities of smugglers in the border areas are not finding it easy.

    “It is a difficult task because a majority of those involved are youths from the area and they know the area very well. Don’t forget that we, security officials, are strangers and we are not expected to detect all the routes that smugglers use in a few days. So, if you have detected a new route, it is your duty as a journalist to inform us before telling the public,” the officer said.

    The smugglers’ activities, was also learnt, are crippling the business of those importing the commodity through the ports.

    Last year, the country was said to have lost N16.3 billion to smuggling.

    A Customs officer at a check point mounted by the Customs before the Agbara Bridge popularly called death trap (Koto Orun) told The Nation that the number of youths now into smuggling has grown because of unemployment.

    Smuggled goods include second hand vehicles, textile materials, used cloths, bags, shoes, tyres, rice, frozen chicken, frozen turkey, vegetable oil, soap, furniture sweets, cigarettes, apples, pineapple and palm oil.