The Federal Operations Unit, Zone B Kaduna of Nigeria Customs Service has recorded a total of Two Hundred and Forty-Two seizures of 21 different items with total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Two Billion, Eighty-Eight Million, Four Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety-Four Naira and Sixty-Eight Kobo ( N2,888,460,294.68) only.
Announcing the seizures at a press briefing on Tuesday in Kaduna, the Controller of the unit, Comptroller Dalha Wada Chedi listed the seized items to include pieces of foreign Jack knives, pieces of foreign machetes, 61 Used Vehicles as means of conveyance, Bags of Foreign Parboiled Rice (50Kg each), Bags of Foreign Parboiled Rice (25Kg each), Foreign Refined Vegetable Oils (25litres each), Cartons of Spaghetti, Macaroni & Couscous, Bales of Foreign Secondhand Clothing, Sacks of Foreign Secondhand shoes.
Others are Cartons of Frozen Poultry Products, Cartons of Foreign Pomade, Cartons of Foreign Condensed Milk, Jerry cans of PMS (25 litres each), Bundles of Foreign Used Tyres, Cartons of Foreign Hookah (Tobacco, Cartons of Foreign Cigarettes, Cartons of Foreign Medicaments, Cartons of Foreign Milky Creamer, Bags of Ammonium Sulphate (25Kg each), Cartons of expired seasoning and Bags of Foreign Flour.
The controller clearly spoke of the unit’s resolve to continue to improve on its strategies and overall performances by building on the strong foundations inherited.
He immediately drew attention all to the fact that the closure of all land borders with Niger Republic is in full force.
Comptroller Wada reminded all and sundry that the unit will continue to ensure full compliance with the directives of the leadership and management of the Nigeria Customs Service saddled with the duty of implementing the Federal Government’s directives. He emphasized that the Unit will continue to leverage on the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR in terms of all operational processes aimed at achieving optimal results.
He called on all stakeholders, especially traders and business people, including all Nigerians to eschew all activities that are in violation of the Customs extant laws for the support, development and growth of the national objectives.
He warned that the unit will leave no stone unturned to ensure that all acts of smuggling and anti-economic activities are fully challenged and the full force of the law brought to bear.
“We are not unaware that within the ember months and especially this yuletide period, many would want to engage in illegal activities, smugglers and all other unscrupulous traders are warned to steer clear of Zone B, our men are fully on ground and combat ready to act in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and as enshrined in the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.8,” the controller warned.
The controller registered his profound gratitude to critical partners like the Military, Nigeria Police Force, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and all other sister agencies and assured them that the Unit will continue to partner with them accordingly.
He noted that the unit enjoyed unwavering cooperation and support of sister agencies even as he solicited for more collaboration.
He however, in line with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), hinted that all items seized that are more relevant to sister agencies’ mandate will be handed over to them in the course of the press briefing specifically NAFDAC where the Unit was to hand over all seized Pharmaceutical items to them for further investigation and prosecution wherever possible.