The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun I Area Command, has announced significant seizures of contrabands and revenue generation in the second quarter of 2024.
According to The PUNCH, Comptroller James Ojo, the command intercepted various items, including cannabis sativa, live ammunition, premium motor spirit, foreign-used tyres, and used clothes, with a duty paid value of N770,666,237.
The command also generated N92,369,227 in revenue, representing a 52.46% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
The Controller of the command, Comptroller James Ojo, made this disclosure at a briefing held in Abeokuta on Monday.
Ojo said the seizures made within this period were not just numbers but they represented the agency’s relentless fight against smuggling and determination to protect the local economy to ensure public health and safety and uphold the integrity of the nation’s borders.
He said, “Through our concerted efforts and strategic operations, the Ogun I Area Command has generated an impressive revenue of N92,369,227.00 for the second quarter of 2024.
“Interestingly, this revenue represents about a 52.46% increase compared to the N53,983,622.00 recorded in the corresponding period of 2023. In addition, the Command surpassed the monthly revenue target of N34,122,666.90 in June 2024 by 77.86%.
“In recent operations, we successfully intercepted 219 sacks and 1,725 parcels of cannabis sativa, 940 rounds of live ammunition, 44,466 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 2,227 pieces of pneumatic foreign-used tyres, and 64 bales and 222 sacks of used clothes.
“Other interceptions include 2,947 cartons of frozen poultry products, 7,015 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 21 units of vehicles, 3 units of motorcycles, and 115 pairs of used shoes with a Duty Paid Value of N770,666,237.00”.
Ojo explained that the contrabands seized are better appreciated for their catastrophic effects on the people and the damage done to the economy is put into consideration.
He said for instance, cannabis sativa commonly known as marijuana or Indian hemp, is a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant with a devastating effect on the lives of its consumers, especially the youths.
Ojo said the rise in its abuse is of great concern within Nigerian society and a threat to our national security, due to its potential influence on criminal activities, such as armed robbery, banditry, cultism, kidnapping, terrorism, and other criminal activities.
He said the use of pneumatic foreign-used tyres popularly called “Tokunbo” poses a significant risk to motorists and puts their lives in jeopardy because these are tyres that have expired and could therefore burst and cause accidents at any time.
The Controller said smuggled poultry often lacks proper regulatory oversight, increasing the risk of harmful chemicals being used for preservation.
He said some of these chemicals used as preservatives can include formaldehyde and others which can be toxic if ingested, potentially causing acute and chronic health issues, including poisoning, cancer, and organ damage to the consumers.
Ojo alluded to the achievements of the command in the last three months to the diligence, commitment, and professionalism of his officers and men who are working tirelessly and deploying effective intelligence in line with the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi to crush all forms of economic sabotaging efforts.
He also said that the support and cooperation of the traditional rulers and other security agencies in the state has made it easier to wage a very successful anti-smuggling campaign in the state, thanking them for always providing support for the command.
While seeking further support from all the stakeholders, including the media to keep the integrity of the nation’s borders, the Controller urged those hurting the economy of the country to either have a change of heart or have the law of the land to contend with.
