By Joshua Yousouph
The Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service says it has intercepted 11.913kg of Cocaine, as well as 19 tanker-load of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and other contraband within the corridor of the border in the last nine months.
This is even as it stated that many of these seizures were achieved through credible information from locals of the communities around the Seme border.
During an exclusive chat with Shipping Position Daily last week, the spokesman of the Command Mr. Husseini Abdullahi informed that from January till date, the command has been able to seize over 12,000 bags of rice, 50kg each, 609,260 litres equivalent to 19 tanker loads of 33,000 litres each of PMS, and 11.913kg of Cocaine around Seme-Badagry express road.
Abdullahi disclosed that, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Bello Jibo formed a unit called “Anti Fly” and mandated the unit with the sole responsibility of checkmating the smuggling of cars.
According to the spokesman, the Command almost on a weekly basis makes a huge number of seizures without any fracas from the members of the communities.
While speaking on the challenges faced at the command, Abdullahi stressed that the command will continue to inflict heavy losses on smuggling activities and other illegitimate businesses that sabotage the efforts of the government.
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“All the feats of the command were achieved under a peaceful atmosphere because of the relationship of the command with the locals. When the CAC took the mantle of leadership of the command, we visited all the Chiefs and some heads of villages and communities and he made it known to them that the Service is there to serve people and the community.
That message has sunk into the head of so many of them. That is why you see that almost on a weekly basis, we make a huge number of seizures of petroleum products and others. And you will notice that there is no fracas between the command and the community. Some of the seizures were made through the information given to use by the locals. That is to tell you the level of relationship the service has with the community and other agencies of government.
“The NCS as the lead agency at the border, ensures the coordination between all the agencies through our land border security and that has helped the command a lot for the area to be peaceful. Badagry people are lovely and peaceful people.
“The only challenge the command is facing is the inability of smugglers to accept and adapt to the pattern of the new Controller, which since he took over the command he made it clear that Customs are there to help in the facilitation of legitimate trade. We are there to serve the people. But there are some people who are recalcitrant and we will continue to inflict heavy losses as long as they continue to sabotage the effort of the government”, Abdullahi concluded.
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