Joy Anyim
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, of the Nigerian Customs Service, has intercepted several contraband worth over N67 Million between January 7 and January 14, 2020.
The seizures were made barely one week after the Unit’s Acting Customs Area Controller, Usman Yahaya, assumed leadership of the Unit.
According to a statement signed by the Unit’s Public Relations Officer, Jerry Attah, the seizures which included: 2,065 jerrycans (25liters each) of vegetable oil, 1,185 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice, 1500 jerrycans (25litres each) of diesel, were intercepted along different unapproved routes within the Unit’s areas of coverage.
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The statement reads “Barely one week in office, The Ag. Controller’s quest for outstanding performance using credible intelligence has begun to yield positive results with the interception of 2,065 jerrycans of vegetable oil (25liters each), 1,185 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice, 1500 jerrycans (25lts) of diesel, with a duty paid value of 67,362,500.00, between January 7 to January 14, 2020, along different unapproved routes within our areas of coverage.
“ This feat is coming as a result of series of meetings held with our sectional heads, team/patrol leaders where he unveiled the management’s mandate bestowed on him which includes blockage of all revenue leakages, trade facilitation and intensification of anti-smuggling operations at various entry points: Seaports, land borders, and Airport within our areas of jurisdiction in the south west zone.”
While warning smugglers to either take to legitimate trades or be ready to face the weight of the law, Yahaya also called for support from members of the public and key stakeholders in the fight against smuggling.
“ I am warning smugglers and ‘would be’ of the danger that lies ahead for them if they do not engage in legitimate trade, as some who have started counting their losses will agree with me. I am also of the opinion that the fight against smuggling can only be won if all hands are on deck and therefore call on all the members of the media and the general public to support the fight against smuggling by providing necessary intelligence that could assist the service in reducing smuggling to its barest minimum.”
Thanking the Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) and the entire Management Team of the Nigeria Customs Service for considering him worthy of the new office, Yahaya assured that he will work assiduously with all officers to justify the confidence reposed on him.
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It was gathered that Yahaya’s redeployment was part of the Comptroller-General’s strategies to re-jig and reposition the Service for greater efficiency and effectiveness especially in the areas of revenue generation, trade facilitation as well as combating smuggling.
Yahaya is said to be a quintessential enforcement guru, who hitherto was the Coordinator of Strike Force, Zone ‘A’, before he was posted as the Acting Controller.
