The Oyo/Osun Command of Nigeria Customs Service says it seized 2,540 bags of 50kg foreign rice within the period of the partial closure of the border and generated N34.6 billion between January and November.
The Comptroller of the command, Abdullahi Zulkifli, stated this in Ibadan on Wednesday at the command’s end of the year press briefing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other items seized include 12 used cars, 15 bags of sugar, 500 pieces of tyres, 40 bales of used clothes, 25 means of conveyance and 101 bags of Indian hemp.
Zulkifli said the total Duty Paid Value (DPV) on the seized items stood at N142,896,113.
The comptroller also said the border drill exercise had continued to assist in promoting national security, curbing illegal migration, encouraging local farmers and increasing revenue generation among others.
He, however, said some recalcitrant smugglers still devise other means of smuggling goods in spite of the partial border closure.
Zulkifli said that most of the goods were concealed in trucks and vehicles meant for carrying out legitimate businesses and conveyance of commuters.
According to him, the command has been doing well in the area of revenue generation, ” having generated N34,686,875,967 from January to November as against N21,954,286,381 generated in 2018.”
He said the command made a total seizure of 313 and arrested 24 suspects within the period under review.
Zulkifli said 21 of the suspects were on administrative bail while two had been convicted and one still in court.
He commended the officers and men of the command for working tirelessly to achieve set goals.
NAN reports that awards were also given to three officers of the command for performing creditably well.
The awardees were AC Amusan John, Officer-in-charge of Igbeti outstation; CSC Adewole Moses, Officer-in-charge of Operations and ASC Idowu Gafar, Officer-in-charge of Anti-fly patrol.
