The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operation Unit ( FOU ) Zone `B’ says it seized second hand clothes, rice, cooking oil and vehicles worth N30 million in the last six months at borders across Sokoto and Kebbi states.
Controller of the zone, Usman Dakingari, told newsmen in Sokoto on Wednesday that the items were seized from April and the unit had strategies to address smuggling in all axis, including porous borders.
Dakingari said smuggling of banned items remained customs challenge in the 11 states under the zone and urged border communities to assist customs with useful information as smuggling deprived Nigeria of economic progress.
“The Federal Government intensifies efforts on reviving cotton, rice and soya beans cultivation to enhance indigenous textiles, rice and cooking oil processing factories.
“The efforts will provide employment and general income to government to execute needed projects, but smuggling activities cripple the system’’ Dakingari said.
He said that such smuggled products constituted health hazard, stressing that customs officers and men were being motivated to ensure that they lived up to expectation.
The controller expressed the unit’s commitment to its primary duty of anti-smuggling in all forms.