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STF Moves To Checkmate Cattle Rustling

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Worried by persistent cattle rustling in Plateau, the Special Task Force (STF) on peace in the state has mapped out strategies to end the menace, the Commander, Maj.- Gen. Emmanuel Ayoola, said.

“We have established symbiotic links to network with herdsmen, local vigilance groups, youth teams, community leaders and experts on cow theft matters toward ending this menace once and for all,’’ Ayoola said.

He said in Jos on Sunday that the STF was working toward establishing permanent ranches where adequate security would be provided against rustlers.

“When we do that, rustlers can only steal in the day which is not easy,’’ he explained.

Ayoola said that Fulani leaders had, however, complained that the arrangement might pose some difficulty for them since they did not stay in one place.

He, however, said the arrangement was an option worth exploring to safeguard the animals against thieves.

Ayoola said that the STF had also stationed its personnel in markets to check cattle meant for sale to discourage cow thieves from the activity as there would be no place for them to sell stolen animals.

The commander revealed that cow rustlers were found among herdsmen and their host communities but added that youths in such communities were encouraged to form “civilian STF’’ to fish out criminals among them.

“We have told them to emulate the example of the ‘civilian JTF’ that had been able to restore order to Borno, Yobe and Adamawa by forming groups to fish out members of Boko Haram among them so as to rid the society of such bad elements.

“We think this option is very important because the thieves live among the people and are usually known by the communities. The communities should not cover them.

“We have also told vigilante groups that their duties should go beyond just protecting their people; they should fish out bad elements that could give the communities a bad name and make them vulnerable to attacks by people they (bad eggs) had offended.’’

Ayoola urged the people to take advantage of their knowledge of their areas to help the STF to fish out criminals and promised that the team would collaborate with groups seeking to restore order to the society.

He said that the STF was particularly concerned about cattle rustling because it was a peculiar kind of theft “with heavy security implications’’ as the herdsmen see the cows as their lives.

“For the herdsmen, once you steal a cow, they feel you are killing them and will seek to kill you as well. In fact, they kill two persons for each cow stolen,’’ Ayoola said.

The commander described the situation as very serious as the cattle rustlers were usually “heavily armed’’ during operations and would shoot anyone who ventured to stand in their way.

“We have always recovered at least 75 per cent of cows rustled but our ability to apprehend the thieves is usually affected by the fact that we do not get to hear of the incidents on time.

“Many herdsmen are usually the young elements that hardly call, so by the time they reach their guardians, the thieves would have run several kilometres away. This usually affects our ability to track them down quickly.

“Again, the cow thieves follow unpredictable routes because the known routes are usually blocked by our men and that is why we need to work with the locals because they know the terrain much better,’’ he said.

The commander said STF personnel had often abandoned their vehicles and either trekked or used motorcycles to pursue rustlers.

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Western Marine Command Intensifies Anti-Smuggling Operations … Intercepts N8.75m Worth PMS

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For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

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Illegal PMS Trading Booms In Lagos

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Petroleum products  being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

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Customs Board Appoints Five DCGs, Eight ACGs

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The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

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