Eagle eye operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service at the Seme border have uncovered an uncompleted building where more than 2000 bags of 50kg smuggled rice were hidden.
The imported rice was smuggled into the country through Ere-Creeks which border Lagos and Ogun states.
According to the command’s Customs Area Controller (CAC); Comptroller Victor Dimka, the 2,131 bags of rice have a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N23,973,750.00.
The Controller attributed the success recorded to the dedicated sharing of coordinated and credible information among officers and men of the Command, and the unflinching support of the Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) who has zero tolerance for smuggling activities that destroy the Nigeria economy.
The obviously elated Controller personally went to the location of the uncompleted building where the rice was stashed away, to ensure their safe arrival at the government warehouse.
At the scene of the seizure, Dimka told those present that: ‘’I am here in person as a practical vanguard of change that desire to set the right precedent and lead by example’’.
Confirming the seizure and the evacuation through a press statement yesterday, the command’s public relations officer; Taupyen, S.K disclosed that the Controller ‘’supervised the evacuation process; ensured the proper handling and usage of arms among officers under the tense atmosphere to ensure a hitch-free operation without casualty. He also ensured that the seized products were monitored and transferred to the government warehouse’’.
The seized bags of rice were loaded into 12 trucks and driven to the command’s headquarters at Seme to the shock of entire border communities, which obviously have never seen such a long convoy of seizures.
Speaking more on the seizures, the command’s PRO said ‘’it was discovered through the data base of the Command that the remarkable feat of this magnitude is the first of its kind in recent times’’
‘’ It is also indeed heartwarming to note that a seizure of this magnitude without any casualty is indeed a clear demonstration of the verse wealth of experience brought to bear by the principled, serious-minded and undeterred leader who dares to succeed at all cost’’.
According to him, the Controller disclosed that investigation is on-going to unravel those behind the smuggled rice.
Comptroller Dimka also ‘’commended the synergy of the Nigeria Army (243 Battalion &Topo FER) as well as the Nigeria Police who co-operated immensely with officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service when they were called upon for reinforcement at the scene of the seizure’’.
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