Customs Vows to Intensify Anti-smuggling Activities, Seize Contraband Worth N10bn

Gilbert Ekugbe

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FoU), Zone A, Ikeja has stated that it would intensify its fight against the nefarious activities of smugglers in the country.

The Comptroller of FOU, Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu, stated that the Unit would step up its ante by not relenting on its efforts in making seizures, arresting and prosecuting criminals who contravenes the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

At a press briefing to intimate journalists on the successes it recorded last year, he sounded a note of warning to smugglers to desist from the illicit business of smuggling, saying that 2024 would be tougher for smugglers who still indulge in the act.

“If they don’t desist from their criminal ways, this year will be tougher for them because they will lose their investments and freedom when arrested. Let me put on record that we shall lawfully arrest and prosecute any individual involved in the attack of our officers who are discharging their legitimate responsibilities. No attacker of our personnel will be spared from facing the full wrath of the law,” he warned.

Meanwhile, he stated that in 2023, a total of 1,119 seizures worth a total duty paid value of N10,395,123,943; comprising of rice, vehicles, marijuana, tramadol, used tyres, poultry products, footwears, petroleum products were made, pointing out that the most prominent of the seizures is the foreign parboiled rice which amounted to 139 trailer loads (83,170 bags of 50kg).

“Today’s briefing aims at intimating you on the successes recorded in our 2023 activities and once again, discourage Nigerians from participating in any form of smuggling activity either as sponsors, couriers, informants or other forms of enablers,” he said.

He added that with the morale and logistics support from the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Unit was able to prosecute the fight against smuggling diligently by making seizures, effecting arrests and collecting revenue for government in the course of discharging its functions. 

“The report of our seizures and arrests being given to you today attests to the relentless and uncompromising enforcement we deployed in the fight against smuggling in 2023. It is indeed a fallout of the positive energy and selflessness we displayed in the course of our work,” he added.

He noted that the unit was able to recover a total of N851,719,905.01 as revenue through meticulous document checking and was able to identify shortfalls in duty payments from which demand notices were issued and accurate revenue were recovered. 

“These are revenues that would have been lost by the federal government to the pockets of some non-compliant business men,” he said.

He said a total number of 136 persons were arrested at various points within its area of responsibility, saying that they were suspected to be smugglers, and after due diligence of uncompromising of profiling and investigation, they were charged to court and are at different stages of prosecution.