The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of the Nigeria Customs Service, Zone ‘B’, has intercepted a trailer loaded with imported bush meat, the Controller, Alhaji Ahmadu Maina, has said.
Maina told newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday that the bush meat had been destroyed to save Nigerians from the threat of Ebola Virus Disease.
The controller said that the command had been vigilante since the deadly disease manifested in the country middle of this year.
He pledged to continuously monitor movement of goods “with a view to stoping unwholesome products from getting to our markets”.
Maina, who said that the command had made a total of 763 seizures valued at more than N658.1 million in 2014, disclosed that the unit had also realised N793.2 million from duties.
He also disclosed that a total of 638 personnel under the unit had undergone training in weapons handling to enhance their efficiency and safety.
According to him, 75 of the personnel are currently undergoing training at the Nigeria Army School of Military Police, Zaria.
He identified uncooperative attitude of border communities, rough terrain and insurgents attack on Customs personnel as the major challenges faced by the unit during the year.
Maina, however, said that efforts had been made to interract with border communities “to educate them on the dangers of smuggling to national economy”.
He expressed appreciation of the Comptroller General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko, for the provision of logistics and enhanced welfare to the personnel, which, he said, had gingered them to put in their best.
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