In a joint inspection carried out by officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Nigeria Immigration Service, the Chinese businessmen behind illegal importation of textiles materials to Kano, north western state of Nigeria have been uncovered.
According to the announcement by the Comptrollers-General of the two para-military outfits, Dikko Inde Abdullahi and David Parading, the illegal Chinese businessmen are to be deported from Nigeria.
Five (5) Chinese nationals were involved in the operation of illegal warehouses in Kano, where prohibited textile materials worth billions
of Naira were uncovered by Customs anti-smuggling operatives.
Comptroller- General of Immigration, David Parradang, OFR, disclosed that investigations by his Service revealed that three (3) out of the five Chinese nationals do not possess valid travel documents to reside and engage in any business in Nigeria beyond the scope of their
admission. Immediate steps will therefore be taken to effect their deportation.
Investigations are still in progress to ascertain the immigration status of the other two Chinese nationals.
Meanwhile, Dikko Abdullahi further stated that the Service will intensify routine mop-up operations to ease out irregular immigrants.
He added that those who are law-abiding and contributory to the national economic development through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and technology transfer will be encouraged and given every possible assistance.
Those involved in the illegal textile warehouse business are Gao Guoxu, aged 26 with passport No E12893246, Li Yang, 28 ,with Passport No E39324316 and Zhang Jiantao, 26 with Passport No E00078159.
The rest are Zhao Shoumin, 26 with Passport No E32882412, and Zhou Jinxue, 35 with Passport No E23094307.
Reacting to insinuations that there are more foreign nationals doing illegal business in Nigeria, the CG Immigrations appealed to
well-meaning Nigerians to oblige the Service information about such foreigners.
Meanwhile, a team of Customs Valuation Officers are still collating the textile seizures to determine the quantity and value. Comptroller
General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi said the team has concluded the exercise in only one of the seven five (75) warehouses that were
sealed up by his men. Textiles items discovered in the warehouse according to him was valued at N4.2 billion.
He said that the objective of the joint operation in Kano was about salvaging the national economy through the protection of the textile industry.
He stated that the huge seizure made through intelligence network cultivated over a period of 3 months shows that some illegal foreigners are sabotaging Nigerian economy through their illegal businesses.
Responding to questions on how the Service will handle the seized textiles, the CG Customs stated that in view of its sheer volume, the
Service will make report to the appropriate authorities of the Federal Government to seek direction.
Two weeks ago, the CG anti- Smuggling unit stormed 6 warehouses in Gandun Albasa area of Kano, where textiles worth billions of Naira
were uncovered.
