Customs FOU Zone A Seizes Imported Rice, Others Worth DPV ₦537m, Arrest 9 Suspects In July.

The Federal Operations Unit Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, in July alone seized contraband goods worth duty pay value, DPV, of Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Four Hundred and Seventy-Nine Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Seven Naira, Five Kobo (N537,479,927.5).

The unit Controller, Hussein K. Ejibunu, who disclosed this while addressing journalists on the activities of his unit, added that, through meticulous checks on import documents, followed with the issuance of demand notices importers/agents found to have short paid their duties; sum of Twenty-four Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Seven Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty-One Naira, Seventy-One Kobo (N24,957,351.71) was collected
as revenue.

According to Ejibunu, notable among the seizures recorded within the period under review are:

I.  7,261 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice(equivalent to 12 trucks load)
II. 600 bags of basmati rice (5kg each).

III. 34,725 liters of petroleum motor spirit (PMS).

IV. 39 bales of used clothes.

V. 225 pieces of used tyres.

VI. 201 cartons of expired seasoning (Chicken Cubes)

VII. 331 cartons of frozen poultry.

VIII. 6 units of used imported cars.

IX. 2,634 cartons of slippers/shoes.

X. 900 pairs of used shoes.

XI. 42 units of used motorcycles, etc.

He added, “Nine (9) suspects were arrested in connection with some of the seizures”.

In his statement, smugglers’ enemy Ejibunu stated, “A misplaced priority as demonstrated in the use of hard earned forex for the importation of expired seasonings (Chicken Cubes), used clothes, shoes and tyres is not only injurious to the economy, but also a despicable act by some desperate importers to make monetary gains at the detriment of other peoples’ health.

“Let me use this medium to remind you that poultry products remain prohibited
item under the import list, because of its attending health and economic
implications.

“It may interest you to know that the federal government in her wisdom banned the importation of poultry products so as to support the growth of our domestic poultry farms, and to protect them from foreign competition.

“Secondly, it was discovered that in the process of transporting these products,
some hazardous chemicals are applied to help in preserving the products; since its
frozen state of being cannot be sustained till it reaches the final consumers. This
act calls for public concern as it could be a source of different ailments and diseases.

“Perhaps, there is no Nigerian family that has not been affected by either an
accident caused by a substandard or used tyre, skin diseases or cancers, and many more; as a result of patronage to prohibited imported products into the country.

“While we collectively sympathize with those that are affected by this menace, we
are also calling on patriotic citizens to cooperate with the Customs Service and
other law enforcement agencies to stamp it out.

“You may recall that, some weeks ago, Nigerians had to pay more for premium
motor spirit (PMS) amidst scarcity. Despite the fact that the federal government had subsidized the product for local consumption, many Nigerians still passed through this hardship; partly because some unscrupulous citizens choose to satisfy their egoistic desires by smuggling the products into the Republic of Benin; some of which were along the border corridors”.

Speaking on the seizures made, Ejibunu said, it is evident that, the dare devil smugglers are unrelenting in executing their unlawful and vile businesses.

“We are therefore, soliciting for useful and timely information from patriotic Nigerians to enable us tame smuggling.
“Compliant importers and agents are encouraged to sustain their compliance level, as the Unit and the Service remain resolute at facilitating legitimate trade”.