Barely one week after the Comptroller General of Customs Strike Force intercepted 3000 bags of rice at Ijebu-Ode, the Strike Force has made another seizure of 420 bags.
National Coordinator of the Strike Force, Deputy Comptroller, Abdullahi Kirawa, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Lagos said the rice were concealed in a truck carrying gravel stones in Shaki, Oyo state.
He stated that since the Zonal Commander of the task force Assistant Controller Salisu Asaba Bullah made the Ogun axis inaccessible, smugglers are now moving towards the Oyo axis. He however assured that the task force under his watch will make all routes in the South –West a no go area for smugglers.
He said, “Less than a week after the Zonal Coordinator in Ogun axis intercepted 3000 bags of rice, they were able to arrest another truck load of rice concealed inside gravel sand.
“We know the smugglers are desperate and smart but we are many steps ahead of them, the interception we made was based on intelligence because we can all see how desperate they are to smuggle these contraband into the country.”
“The seizure is attributed to the intelligence provided by the Customs Intelligence Unit and my team and we have vowed to make the Southwest zone a no go area for smugglers and make sure they count their losses no matter their antics.
Kirawa also expressed gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali over his recent appointment as the National Coordinator.
He said, “I thank the CGC and his management team for believing in me and appointing me as the new National Coordinator of the Strike Force.”
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