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Bashir (in front) conducts journalists round the jerry cans of seized pms on Thursday in Yola
In a renewed war against smuggling activities in Nigeria, the Adamawa and Taraba states Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has made a huge breakthrough following the confiscation of premium motor spirit and other assorted foreign items worth N71 million.
While briefing journalists on Thursday in Yola, the Area Controller, Garba Bashir, said that the seizures were clear testaments to the unrelenting and uncompromising efforts of the Operatives of the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service.
“Today, it pleases me to announce that for the period under review, August and September 2024, the Command’s enforcement unit witnessed significant seizures with monetary value of seventy-one million, seven hundred and sixty thousand, nine hundred and thirty naira (N71,760,930).
“The seized items include 1,115 jerry cans of 25 litres capacity each and 26 drums of 220 litres capacity each filled with PMS totalling 33,595 litres intended to be smuggled into the adjacent country, the Republic of Cameroon.”
He added, “Three vehicles, the means of conveyance of some of the seized PMS, 200 bags of foreign flour, 50kg each, 57 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 50kg each, and 10 bales of second-hand clothing, were all intercepted and confiscated by our Eagle-eyed operatives.”
Bashir disclosed further that in line with the Comptroller General’s (CG) mandate to curtail the smuggling activities within his Command, he has ensured to reposition all its operatives across the Command borderlines for effective border management.
“Despite all the threats by the economic saboteurs such as obstructing, hindering, molestation and assaults on officers who are genuinely
discharging their official duties as seen and witnessed on some social platforms, we are still not deterred, “ he said.
He pointed out that the intimidation and other antics of the smugglers would not stop or hinder his operatives from discharging their statutory duties.
Bashir insisted, “We will not relent in this fight against illegal trade until we bring smuggling activities to ground zero in Adamawa and Taraba states.
We are hoping, clamouring, and working towards a safe Nigeria where smuggling activities will be seen and identified as a devil that nobody would like to associate with,” he stated.
The controller maintained that the achievements are predicated on the enabling environment and unwavering dedication of the management of NCS under the stewardship of Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
While advising smugglers to abandon their acts of economic sabotage and all forms of illegal trans-border trade and genuinely embrace legitimate business, he pointed out that his Command will sustain the momentum until they bring all forms of smuggling activities to their knees.
