For the month January, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’, Owerri confiscated seventeen (17) prohibited items and 21 underpayments recovered with a total sum of one hundred and ninety-four million, six hundred and fifty-six thousand, eight hundred and fifty-five naira (#194,656,855.00).
In a press statement signed by the Public Relations officer of the unit, Assistant Supretendent of Customs Onuigbo, Ifeoma Ojekwu , the above figure is a combination of an overall Duty Paid Value (DPV) of one hundred and twenty-two million, two hundred and eighty-two thousand, two hundred and twenty-two naira (N122,282,220.00) and a recovered underpayment of seventy-two million,three hundred and seventy-four thousand, six hundred and thirty-five naira (N72,374,635.00).
The Customs Area Controller in charge of the Unit, Comptroller Mohammed, Uba Garba who disclosed this to newsmen during which he showcased the seized items at the premises of the Customs Warehouse Enugu said that eighteen (18) suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures which took place along Owerri, Benin, Enugu and Calabar axis.
Giving a graphic breakdown of the seizures, Comptroller Mohammed Uba said that while nine (9) vehicles worth #35,900,920.00 were involved, 382 pieces of foreign smuggled used tyres valued at #6,288,000.00 and 3,077 bags of 50kg foreign rice estimated at #80,093,300.00 were equally confiscated by his officers and men.
Expatiating on the dangers and the implications of the usage and consumption of the items in question by unsuspecting members of the public, Mohammed Uba said that rice smuggling has the capacity to depress the nation’s economy because according to him, it reduces government’s revenue, stifles domestic rice industries in addition to distorting supply and consumption data usually applied by the government as references for sound policy planning.
The Customs Area Controller also justified government ban on used tyres stressing that such items from the more advance nations of the world are compressed and discarded for use in their countries of manufacture, but later find their way into the country as a result of the activities of the smugglers who in turn sell them to members of the public because of their perceived cheap prices.
Mohammed Uba therefore warned those who are still trapped in the illicit business of smuggling despite the obvious implications to purge themselves of these obnoxious businesses which is detrimental to the nation’s economy, their own lives and the society at large.
He noted that the unbridled use of imported second hand tyres has continued to wreck havoc on the nation’s highway with many lives being lost and others seriously injured.
He advised member of the public with unquenchable appetite, interest and desire for foreign prohibited materials to quickly purge themselves of this in their own interest, regretting that many families have been ruined as a result of this.
Comptroller Mohammed Uba made it clear that the NCS would ever remain steadfast and sincere in its resolution to ensure that no prohibited item gets across the nation’s borders, assuring that the service is now more than ever fortified, trained, mobilized and motivated to meet its challenges.
