Customs Zone D records 88 seizures worth N1.178bn in 7 months
By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
No fewer than 88 seizures comprising 174,585 liters of petroleum products, nine sacks of pangolin scales and claws weighing 396.4kgs, 1,800 bags of sugar (50kg) each, 343 bags of fertilizer (UREA/NPK), 328 bags of 50kgs foreign parboiled rice, among others worth N1,178,821,033 have been seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The NCS operatives of the Federal operations Unit, Zone ‘D’ made the seizures between January 30th and August 9th, 2023.
The Acting FOU Controller, Joseph Adelaja, stated these at a media briefing on Wednesday at the Zonal Headquarters of the Service in Bauchi.
According to him, during the period under review, the unit made a total of 88 seizures which include: 1,800 bags of sugar (50kg) each, 174,585 liters of petroleum products, 343 bags of fertilizer (UREA/NPK), nine sacks of Pangolin Scales and Claws weighing 396.4kg, 328 bags of 50kgs foreign parboiled rice, among others.
He said that: “In pursuance of the unit’s saddled responsibility of enforcing customs laws, implementing Government Fiscal policies and suppression of smuggling within the Zone.
“In accordance with the strategic role of Customs in enforcing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) which came into being in 1973, in line with section 55 subsection (1) paragraph (1) sub paragraph (1) of Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 (NCSA 2023) and also the Schedule 6 of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) 2022-2026, the Unit has intercepted: Nine sacks of Pangolin Scales and Claws weighing 396.4kg.
“Others are: Two Life birds (African Crowned Crane), one live Antelope Gazelle, one piece of lion bone and a plastic container of lion fat.”
Adelaja said that the feat was achieved in pursuance of the unit’s saddled responsibility of enforcing customs laws, implementing Government Fiscal policies and suppression of smuggling within the Zone.
“In accordance with the strategic role of Customs in enforcing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) which came into being in 1973, in line with section 55 subsection (1) paragraph (1) sub paragraph (1) of Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 (NCSA 2023) and also the Schedule 6 of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) 2022-2026, the Unit has intercepted: Nine sacks of Pangolin Scales and Claws weighing 396.4kg.
“Others are: Two Life birds (African Crowned Crane), one live Antelope Gazelle, one piece of lion bone and a plastic container of lion fat,” he said.
He added that in accordance with section 55 subsection (1) paragraph (c) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 (NCSA 2023), the NCS operatives intercepted: “88 cartons of insecticides, 342 packs of foreign candy, 190 cartons of flavored powdered drinks, 23 sacks of used shoes and 1,800 bags of sugar (50kg) each.
“Others are: 343 bags of fertilizer, UREA/NPK, 328 bags of 50kgs foreign parboiled rice, 66 cartons of foreign soap, 50 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 54 Jerrycans of foreign vegetable oil (25 litres each), three units used imported vehicles, 11 vehicles as means of conveyance and 174,585 liters of petroleum products.
“The cumulative Duty Paid Value of all the seized items stands at N1,178,821,033.”
The Zonal Controller further said that the seizures showcased were achieved as a result of robust information gathering and credible intelligence sharing by other customs units such as the CIU, Customs police, SIS, vigilant and resilient patrol officers of FOU Zone ‘D’.
He stressed that the Nigeria Customs Service operative’s actions are in accordance with all extant laws as enshrined in the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA 2023) as amended, particularly section 245 (provisions as to detention, seizure and condemnation of goods) and 226 (power to patrol freely).
Adelaja therefore, appealed to patriotic citizens on the need to provide credible information to the service in order to curb the menace of these unscrupulous smugglers who are bent on crippling the economy of this great nation.
Our Correspondent reports that the FOU, Zone ‘D’, comprising the nine states of Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa States; with headquarters in Bauchi.