Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) under its Joint Border Operations Drill Sector 3 on Wednesday said it raked in N135 million from seizures in the last one month.
The joint border operations drill is made up of representatives of all security agencies in the country.
Acting Coordinator of the operations in the north central, Mohammed Garba, announced the seizure to newsmen in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, while parading some of the contraband goods intercepted by the command in the month under review.
Mohammed stated that the Federal Government’s border closure policy has reduced banditry, human trafficking and illegal migrants.
He said the policy had also increased revenue generation and improved synergy among other security agencies.
His words: “Within the period under review, we have made the following seizures-: 57 units of vehicles of various types; 1,355 bags of foreign rice (50kg each); three (3) long single barrel guns, knives and three cutlasses at Lokoja axis of Kogi state, handed over to “B” division Police Station, Lokoja.
“Two long single barrel guns, eight life cartridges and one locally made pistol, at Kotangora axis of Niger State, were handed over to “A” division Police Station, Kotangora; 20 bags of yam flour of 100kg each; 1,728 jerry cans of PMS/engine oil (25 liters each); 155 drums with petroleum products and lubricant oil.
Others are 16 motorcycles popularly called Bajaj, used in smuggling rice; 12 bales of secondhand clothing and textile materials; 68 jerry cans of groundnut oil of 25 liters each; 322 cartons of foreign cosmetics and nine cartons of foreign tin tomatoes.”
Mohammed added that seven Beninoise and 13 Nigerien illegal migrants were repatriated, saying that “we have six suspects who were currently on administrative bail. Apart from arms, the above seizures were made in different locations of Sector 3 of Joint Border Operations Drill.” “Joint Border Operations is always in militant mood to ensure a total compliance that will translate to effective revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, facilitation of legitimate trade and protecting our national security.
“It is pertinent to inform you that Sector 3 will continue to dialogue, engage, sensitize and educate the public on the reasons behind the border closure,” Mohammed said.
