The Joint Border Patrol Team North Central Zone, Sector 3 Ilorin, Kwara State has intercepted 13 Pick-Up Vans carefully, technically and locally fabricated for the purpose of smuggling activities.
The vans were all loaded with 50kg of foreign par boiled rice.
The items are Four vehicles carrying 79 Bags each –Total- 316
Two (2) vehicles conveying 85 Bags each –Total- 170
Two (2) vehicles transporting 77 Bags each –Total- 154
Five (5) vehicles conveying 80 Bags each- Total- 400
That brings the total number to 1,040 Bags of 50kg each (almost Two Trailers) of foreign par boiled rice classifiable under chapter 1006 of Common External Tariff with duty Paid Value (DPV) of Nineteen Million four Hundred and forty eight Thousand Naira (N19, 448,000)
The Comptroller, Coordinator Joint Border Patrol Team North Central Zone, Sector 3 Ilorin, Kwara State, Olugboyega Peters stated this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the sector within three weeks.
Similarly, he said within the space of 18 days the team has recorded 43 seizures from Mokwa-Jebba, Gwanara, Okuta and other axis of the Sector. These include-:
• 23 Units of Used Vehicles
• 1,274 Bags of Foreign par boiled Rice
• One locally made Gun, a Pistol and 8 Cartridges
• 9 Drums of AGO
• 242 Jerri cans of PMS
• 7 Motorcycles
• 7 Jerri Cans of 25litres of Groundnut oil
The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the Seized is N 61,002,800
Five suspects were apprehended in connection with the locally made pistol and cartridges.
The suspects were illegal immigrants and were handed over to Nigeria Police Force and Nigerian Immigration Service on the 25th March, 2021.
“We cannot continue to fold our arms and allow every Tom, Dick and Harry come in and out of our country illegally. Trans-border crimes, such as proliferation of small arms and light weapons, ammunition, human trafficking, drugs trafficking, banditry and terrorism are among other security challenges, which we must check”, he added.
The comptroller added that border closure has visibly yielded positive results. Some of the confirmatory results include-
• Reduction in Smuggling and entry of illegal migrants.
• Improved Agricultural sector as most farmers Smile to the Banks
• Daily Revenue Generation of Nigeria Customs Service into federation account has equally increased.
The exercise has promoted inter-agency cooperation and increase preparedness to address trans-border security challenges such as terrorism, armed banditry, smuggling, proliferation of small arms and light weapons amongst others.
• Increased consumption of local products
• Flash points of smuggling into Nigeria have been decimated.
• The tripartite agreement between Nigeria, Niger, and Benin Republic had led to increased cooperation between security agencies of the aforementioned countries.
He, however, warned the enemies of Nigeria’s Economy that the sector has stepped up extra measures to combat the influx of foreign rice smuggling and other prohibited items into the country.
He also said that the eagle-eyes of the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) and superior intelligence sharing/utilizations will continue to cause unrepentant Smugglers nightmares.
Nnenna.O
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