The Nigerian Customs, Federal Operations Unit Zone A, has made 1,119 seizures worth a total duty-paid value of N10,395,123,943 in 2023.
This was made known on Wednesday by the Zonal Comptroller, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, during a press briefing at the unit’s Headquarters in Ikeja.
He reiterated that the most prominent of the seizures were foreign parboiled rice, which amounted to 139 trailer loads (83,170 bags of 50kg).
Other seizures include 13,706 kegs of 25 liters PMS; 8,372 kg of Indian Hemp; 2,942 pieces of tires; 2,153 bales of used clothes; 3,095 cartons of frozen poultry; 320 cartons of illicit drugs; 15 pieces of bulletproof jackets; 15 pieces of jack knives; 68 pieces of military camouflage; 450 drums X 106 kg of carbide; 1 X 40 ft and 2 X 20 ft containers found to contain charcoal and 132 units of foreign-used vehicles.
Ejibunu pointed out that sixteen people were convicted through the Federal High Courts for committing offenses of improper importation, assault on Customs officers, possession of foreign parboiled rice, and possession of Pangolin scales meant for export.
He said some other smuggling-related cases instituted in the courts are at various stages of prosecution and would be followed up diligently.
The unit head noted “This year 2024, we shall continue, through our legal seat, to follow all pending court cases to logical conclusions.”
He said that the unit was able to recover a total of N851,719,905.01 as revenue through meticulous document checking.
“We were able to identify shortfalls in duty payments from which demand notices were issued, and accurate revenue was recovered”, said the Comptroller.
Ejibunu promised to intensify the battle against smuggling within the zone in 2024.
He stated that the unit will not relent in making seizures, arrests, and prosecuting criminals who contravene the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Ejibunu warned smugglers to desist from attacking officers, explaining that no attacker of Customs personnel would be spared from facing the full wrath of the law.
“Let me put it on record that we shall lawfully arrest and prosecute any individual involved in the attack of our officers who are discharging their legitimate responsibilities. 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,” he emphasized.
