CUSTOMS: FOU 'Zone 'A' Seizes Rice, Vehicles, Others Worth N751bn

CUSTOMS: FOU 'Zone 'A' Seizes Rice, Vehicles, Others Worth N751bn

... collected N78.16 billion as revenue 

... “Instead of seizing the food items, we ensured that the trucks were re-directed to Nigerian markets where they were sold to Nigerians by the owners,’’  - Compt. Ejibunu

By: Bisi Akingbade

The Federal Operations Unit  Zone `A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service  has made a seizure  of different contraband goods worth N751.1 billion in February, 2024

The Customs Area Controller, CAC,  in charge of the zone, Comptroller Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu made this disclosure to journalists in Lagos on Friday that 3,779 (50kg) bags of foreign rice equivalent to seven truckloads worth N365 million   were seized from various states in the Southwest.

His words “As usual, rice was top on the list of our February 2024 seizures in terms of volume and value.

“Other items seized within the month included one locally-made gun and six pieces of empty cartridges on Abeokuta Road.

“We also intercepted 731 parcels of suspected Indian hemp weighing 482kg; one 40ft container of 286 cartons of new rubber slippers, seven units of used motorcycles; 28,000 litres of petrol and 2,420 pieces of used tyres.

“Worthy of note is the interception of three Benin Republic-bound trucks laden with 880 bags of white beans, 584 bags of onions and 18 bags of dry pepper on Ajilete-Idiroko Road in Ogun.

He said  one of  the officer of the zone prevented the smuggling of 11 exotic used vehicles worth more than N200 million into the country.

He said smugglers of the vehicles met stiff resistance against their duty evasion and defiant behaviour.

Ejibunu affirmed that  the zone collected N78.16 billion as revenue into the federation account through the issuance of Demand Notices on Customs Duties that were discovered to be underpaid.

He said that preparatory to Easter celebrations, the unit had strengthened its intelligence-led anti-smuggling operations strategies to forestall smuggling and duty evasion.

Ejibunu advised  smugglers to desist from the unlawful business that will affect them.