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By Kenneth Jukpor
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) seized 82,171 bags of foreign parboiled rice which amounts to 135 trailers of rice in 2021.
The Acting Controller of the Unit, Deputy Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu revealed this earlier today, stating that the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seizures in 2021 was N7,813,257,112.
Describing 2021 as an eventful year for the unit, DC Ejibunu highlighted other seizures to include: 12,781 kegs of 25 litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 751 pieces of cartridges, 12,394 cartons of frozen poultry products, 562 units of used vehicles, 312 sacks, 11,992 pairs of used shoes, 1,638 bales, 5,669 pieces of used clothing.
Others were: 309 units of used fridges; 896 pieces of used compressors; 3,553 kegs of vegetable oil; 3,177 pieces of used tyres; 239 pieces, 568 cartons of tomato paste; 733 sacks, 3,522.1kg of Indian hemp; 16 containers of unprocessed wood; 43 drums of carbide; 3,671 cartons of unapproved drugs; 149 units of used motorcycles; among others.
According to DC Ejibunu, the preceding year was event-filled going by the quantity and quality of seizures recorded by the unit, the total revenue generated, the number of notorious smugglers arrested and the number of commendation letters received from the Customs headquarters.
The FOU Customs boss thanked the Customs management for the unprecedented provision of 16 operational vehicles as well as the 5 Gun-Trucks to enable the Unit further boost its anti-smuggling activities within the Zone.
Ejibunu expressed delight that the epileptic power supply hitherto suffered by the Unit in the office environment was addressed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and his management with the purchase and installation of 250KVA generating set.
Meanwhile, he noted that the sad tale of 2021 for the Unit was that it lost 4 gallant officers during operations in the year under review.
The Unit generated revenue to the tune of N617,919,095 in 2021.
A total of 116 suspects were arrested; 18 arraigned, 69 were released on Administrative Bail, 1 handed over to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and 23 are in custody presently.
While the tail end of 2021 witnessed the re-jigging of the Unit with operational vehicles, gun trucks and Commendation Letters by the Comptroller-General of Customs and his Management to galvanize officers and men to improve on their performance, DC Ejibunu posited that the Unit has discreetly mapped out strategies to vigorously pursue revenue recoveries and ensure it surpasses its 2022 target.
“All revenue leakages must be blocked as the Customs Intelligent Unit will spread their tentacles to furnish the Unit with credible information regarding concealments, transfer of value, wrong classification and low value,” he added.
