The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Coordinator of
Joint Border Operations Drill for North Central zone, comprising Kwara, Kogi,
Benue and Niger States, Comptroller Mohammed Garba, on Thursday disclosed that about
N7billion revenue has been generated daily for the federal government since the
commencement of the operation in the zone last August.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, Kwara State
capital, on the activities of the operation in the zone, Garba, however, said:
"The revenue generation increase was due to the renewed vigour in the
utilisation of cutting-edge strategies in the anti-smuggling war being embarked
on by the men of the Service in the zone."
He stated that "before the beginning of the
operation last August, the daily revenue was N4.5 billion, and now it has increased
to N7billion daily."
Garba, who also said the increased revenue was made
possible because many illegal border routes were blocked, added that the fight
against smuggling and illegal importation was intensified to encourage local agricultural
production and development
The zonal Customs boss also said 204 illegal
migrants were repatriated during the period under review, including 99
Nigeriens,100 Beniniose, three Malians, and two Chinese.
On the joint border drill, consisting of security
agencies such as the Immigration, Police, Army, Nigeria Intelligence Agency
(NIA), Customs and DSS, he said a total number of 10,000 bags of smuggled rice
were seized since the operation started.
The Customs boss, who said the border closure was
not targeted at anyone, individual, group of persons or any community, added
that it is for the protection of the country’s economy.
"It is no longer news that the federal government
on August 20, 2019, precisely, partially closed all land borders for the
betterment of the country’s economy, security of the citizen and for our
neighbouring countries to abide by ECOWAS protocols," he said.
Garba also said the zone had seized a total number
of 10,201 bags of foreign rice of 50kg each with duty paid value of N173,
417,000.00 equal to 12 trailers of rice since the operations started.
According to him, "Also seized included 52
different types of used vehicles, trucks, trailers and other vehicles used for
conveying contraband goods with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N 88, 854, 500,561
drums of petrol with DPV of N9,480,000.00
"Also, 1,670 tablets of Tramadol of 200mg each
and two packs of Rebozel drugs containing 500 tablet each with the cost value
of N 165,000,000 the drugs were handed over to NAFDAC; 1,524 Jerricans of
petrol with DPV of N12, 633,250.00, 11 motorcycles used to conveyed smuggled
goods with DPV of N950, 000.00 were
among the goods seized.”
He therefore solicited the support of media in the
war against smuggling so as to accelerate the economic growth of Nigeria.
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