The Kano/ Jigawa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service on Tuesday said it arrested no fewer than 15 persons and seized contraband items worth N80million.
The command’s Comptroller, Ahmad Nasir, disclosed this while displaying the seized items before newsmen in the state.
Nasir said the seizure and arrest were made within the period of two months in various routes leading into the state. He said the arrested suspects have been granted administrative bail.
He identified Babura area in Jigawa State as the most notorious route for smuggling in the area.
“Today, we seized four trucks of 1,842 bags of expired fertilizer, 567 jerrican (25 litres) of vegetable oil and 53 bales of second-hand clothes. Other items seized include, 1,608 bags of rice (50kg), 113 bags of foreign sugar (50kg), 278 compressed blocks of Indian hemp and 20 units of used vehicle and means of conveyance.
“Among the items seized, aside from the fertilizer which is dangerous security-wise as it can be used to make bombs, the cannabis sativa is the second most dangerous item under which people can be influenced to carry out dirty acts such as insurgency, kidnapping, smuggling and rape among others.
“The expired fertilizer is sold to innocent farmers. It is not good for our soil and not good for the food we eat. But smugglers are still circulating it in the country. Anything that will destroy our soil will destroy our economy,” he said.