FOU Zone A 2023 Scorecard: Made 1,119 Seizures, Arrest 136 Suspected Smugglers, Convicts 16 People

FOU Zone A 2023 Scorecard: Made 1,119 Seizures, Arrest 136 Suspected Smugglers, Convicts 16 People
By: Bisi Akingbade

The Federal Operations Units, FOU, Zone 'A' Command of Nigeria Customs Service NCS, as a unit charged with anti-smuggling function in the South West Zone, overseeing an area with international borders, busiest airport in Nigeria, and the two largest sea ports in the country has made a successful seizures worth a total duty paid value of N10,395,123,943 for the year 2023.

The Controller of the Command, Comptroller Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu disclosed this during a press briefing today at the command in Ikeja, Lagos.

According to Comptroller Ejibunu" With the morale and logistics support from the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, we were able to prosecute the fight against smuggling diligently by making seizures, effecting arrests and collecting revenue for government in the course of discharging our functions. 

"Ejibunu noted that "The report of our seizures and arrests being given to you today attests to the relentless and uncompromising enforcement we deployed in the fight against smuggling in 2023. It is indeed a fallout of the positive energy and selflessness we displayed in the course of our work. 

He affirmed that "Last year we made 1,119 seizures worth a total duty paid value of N10,395,123,943; comprising of rice, vehicles, marijuana, tramadol, used tyres, poultry products, footwears, petroleum products etc.

"The most prominent of the seizures is foreign parboiled rice which amounted to 139 trailer loads (83,170 bags of 50 kg, 
13,706 kegs by 25 litres of PMS8, 372 Kg of Indian Hemp, 2,942 pieces of tyres, 2,153 bales of used clothes, 3,095 cartons of frozen poultry, 320 cartons illicit drugs.

Others seizures includes: 15 pieces of bullet proof jackets, 15 pieces of jack knives, and 68 pieces of military camouflage, 450 drums X 106 kg of carbide,1 X 40 ft and 2 X 20 ft containers found to contain charcoal132 units of foreign used vehicles 

The command boss also affirmed that a total number of 136 suspected smugglers were arrested at various points within its area of responsibility and after due diligence of uncompromising of profiling and investigation, they were charged to court and are now at different stages of prosecution.

"16 people were convicted through the Federal High Courts for committing offences of improper importation, assault of Customs officers, being in possession of foreign parboiled rice and for being in possession of Pangolin scales meant for export. Some other smuggling related cases instituted in the courts are at various stages of prosecution and would be followed up diligently. 

"This year 2024, we shall continue, through our legal seat, to follow all pending court cases to logical conclusions. 

Comptroller Ejibunu said "The unit was able to recover a total of N851,719,905.01 as revenue through meticulous document checking.

"We were able to identify shortfalls in duty payments from which demand notices were issued and accurate revenue were recovered. These are revenues that would have been lost by the federal government to the pockets of some uncompliant business men.
 
Ejibunu noted that the command is battle ready for any criminal that would want to contravene Customs Act.
"I want to reiterate that our battle to prevent smuggling will be intensified this year as we shall not relent in making seizures, arrests and prosecution of criminals who contravene the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023. If they don't desist from their criminal ways, this year will be tougher for them because they will lose their investments and freedom when arrested. 

"Let me put on record that we shall lawfully arrest and prosecute any individual involved in the attack of our officers who are discharging their legitimate responsibilities. No attacker of our personnel will be spared from facing the full wrath of the law.

He, therefore,  expressed his profound appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs, and members of the management team, compliant traders within its zone. 

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