The Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, his Nigeria Immigration Service counterpart, Mohammed Babandede and Coordinator of the joint security border operation, ‘Exercise Swift Response’, Brigadier General Emmanuel Aliyu Ndagi, have commenced an on-the-spot assessment of the implementation and compliance of the ongoing border security drills.
Customs Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, who disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday, said the joint border patrol exercise has recorded success as no fewer than 100 illegal migrants, 8,360 bags of parboiled foreign rice, 122 bags of fertilizer and 77 vehicles among others, have been arrested and seized within the last three weeks.
Attah appealed to members of the business community to see the exercise as an opportunity to further create a conducive environment for local businesses to thrive in the overall interest of national security and development.
According to the statement, “Three weeks into the intensive joint border patrol by the security agencies, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has continued to receive reports of large numbers of seizures and arrests from the four sectors of North West, North Central, South West, and South South geopolitical zones.
“As at 10 September 2019, 100 illegal migrants have been arrested while seizures so far include: 8,360-50kg bags of parboiled foreign rice; 122 bags of fertilizer; 77 vehicles; 781 drums filled with PMS as well as 16,371 empty 200 litres drums to be used for smuggling PMS; 1,491 packs of assorted drugs; 3 outboard 40HP Engines; 13 cotonue boats; 185 drums of groundnut oil; 6 trucks; 114 motorcycles; among other items with 117 suspects.
“As part of the efforts to sustain the rigorous patrol along the national borderlines, the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ibrahim Ali, Comptroller General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede and the Coordinator of the exercise, Brig Gen Emmanuel Aliyu Ndagi have commenced an on the spot assessment of the implementation and compliance of the ongoing border security drills.
“The exercise, which is being led by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) in collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) as well as the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other security and intelligence agencies is intended to better secure our borders, boost national economy and strengthen border security.
“Accordingly, we continue to appeal to the patriotic spirit of all Nigerians, especially members of the business community to see the exercise as an opportunity to further create a conducive environment for local businesses to thrive in the overall interest of national security and development.”