Customs Seizes N453m Goods In Lagos

The Federal Operations Unit of the Nigerian Customs Service Zone A, in the second quarter of this year impounded about 843 assorted goods comprising textile materils, used tyres,  vegetable oil, rice, used clothes, used shoes, used motorcycles from smugglers.

Disclosing this to newsmen in Lagos, recently, Comptroller Emmanuel Dede Kane said the goods were seized from smugglers within the sixth month of this year. He placed their value at about N453,304,222.

The payable duty, according to him is rated at N88,948.830.

According to him, there are other recent valuable seizures yet to be properly examined and valued as at the press time.

Kane further explained that a total of 57 suspects were arrested within the period, adding that three cases have been successfully prosecuted in court and conviction secured.

The Customs boss said although the command is primarily an enforcement agency but have collected a total of N127,654,034.84 from under payments and fees for the period under review.

Kane recounted that the anti-smuggling team experienced damages as officers of the command vehicles were in recent times attacked by suspected hoodlums (smugglers) at Gbaji check point.

“On the 19th June, 2010, one of my patrol team led by SC Ogbeni S.F. had a terrible head on collision with a Tokunbo car being smuggled along Joga Orile road, my officers were wounded and two lives were equally lost in that incident”, he lamented.

Kane also confirmed the deaths of five officers of the command during the course of duty within the period under review.

He stressed that the incident however, emboldened their spirit to be more alert and alive to their statutory responsibilities and promised his continued effort at checkmating smugglers.

The seizures were made from various anti-smuggling operations areas like Seme axis, Ijebu-Ode areas, Oyo axis, Papalanto and IIashe-Ajilete.