Customs Seizes 39 Vehicles, N161m Illicit Goods in Sokoto in 6 Months

By Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Sokoto Command comprising Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States, has seized 39 vehicles and other illicit goods worth N161 million in the zone in the last six months.

The Customs Area Controller of the command, Mr. Nasir Ahmed, who made the disclosure during a press briefing in Sokoto Wednesday, added that the command also generated N829 million revenue within the same period in the zone.

He said the items were seized in various border towns in the states between May and October this year, adding that the seized items included 39 vehicles worth N83 million, 552 (50kg) bags of foreign rice and 1,290 (25kg) bags of rice worth N27 million.

Others were 976 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 207 bales of second hand clothing worth N12 million as well as elephant tusk with a duty paid value of N14 million.

He attributed the challenge in the anti-smuggling operations to porous borders , especially many bush paths and farmlands during the dry season, that made it easy access for smugglers to illegally transport offending items across the border without proper control.

Details later…