Customs Discovers Five Illegal Routes in Niger Command, Arrests Seven Suspects

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger/Kogi States Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has discovered five illegal routes through which contraband goods are smuggled into the country.

The Customs Area Controller, Mr. Busayo Badejo, stated in Minna yesterday that seven suspects were “arrested, detained and released on administrative bail” but did not say areas where the illegal routes were discovered for “security reasons.”

According to Badejo, between  January and June this year, the Command also seized 57 exotic cars of different makes in addition to 22 bales of second hand clothing, 90 bags of fertilizer, 116 kegs of petrol, and 36 bags of parboiled rice.

He put the cumulative duty pair value of the seized items at N238,402,916 while the Command recorded a total revenue of N50,839,248.

Badejo said the Command was able to record the feat because of the deployment “of massive intelligence and applied our rules of engagement without any casualty,” pointing out that the organisation has also been collaborating with other sister security agencies to stem smuggling in the area.

He said: “I want to state it clearly that the federal government’s directives on border closure are still in force in Baba na, the only border station in the Command.

“Smugglers and criminal elements, no matter how highly placed in the society, we will not spare you. Our job is to execute government policies.”

The Area Controller also disclosed that the Command has been given the go- ahead to recover revenue through Demands Notices, saying the function is a call for the organisation to do more.

Badeji declared: “We have a new Customs which is well trained, we are going to perform our responsibilities according to the provisions of the law.”