The World Customs Organisation has honored the Niger Area Command of the Nigeria Custom Service for its Anti- Smuggling drive against arms and ammunition.
Alhaji Abba-Kaseem Yusuf, the Customs Area Comptroller in charge of Niger, Kogi and Kwara Commands, disclosed this on Tuesday in Minna.
Yusuf said that the command was honored with the award due to its efforts in combating smuggling of arms and ammunition.
189 live ammunition worth N63 million was intercepted along Babanna Wawa axis of Niger in 2018.
He said the award would boost the morale of the officers and men of the area command to put in their best.
The comptroller said that the command had adopted community-based approach in the fight against smuggling in the area.
According to him, the approach will enable residents, especially those at the border areas to offer intelligence information that can aid in apprehending smugglers.
“We have also reached out to stakeholders, traditional and religious leaders in mobilising residents, especially those at the borders to support our field officers with relevant information on movement of smugglers.
“My area of supervision is no go area for any smugglers as we have put in place sensitive security measures that will frustrate their activities.
“We have also identified smugglers’ routes and deployed competent officers on strict surveillance, while community leaders will be used to provide information to ensure their arrest and prosecution.
“We have briefed our field workers on how to combat smugglers; any smuggler arrested will face the wrath of the law,’’ he said.
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