The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that its resolve to intensify surveillance at borders and creeks within its jurisdiction has led to the interception of 3,000 bags of smuggled rice.
Customs Area Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Isa Nuhu, while addressing journalists stated that the seized commodity with a Duty Paid Value of N16.5 million was smuggled through a creek in Xinvie village, Ajara in Badagry.
The customs boss explained that the smugglers were so desperate that they erected a mini warehouse near the creek which is about 30km off the Seme-Badagry expressway, which ostensibly serves as their storage point.
He noted that the unit had placed some identified remote settlements along the creeks of Badagry under surveillance for some time now and this according to him has been yielding results.
“It was in recognition of the importance of this directive that the Comptroller General set up a special task force charged and entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the actualization of this mandate. It is a combination of these factors that has led to the series of high profile seizures of contraband goods, particularly on frozen poultry products and rice by men of the unit,” he said.
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