Customs declare war on smugglers, arrest 5, seize N116m goods

Nigeria Customs Service has arrested five smugglers and seized contrabands worth N116million in raids on smugglers hideouts in Lagos and Ogun States.

The raids followed the recent killing of a customs officer at Owode-Idiroko, in Ogun State by smugglers.

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The Controller Zone A, Hussein Ejibunu, who disclosed this said two other officers were shot by smugglers were recuperating in hospital.

He said the NCS would no longer fold its arms while its men are being attacked.

“The seized goods include bags if rice, gallons of vegetable oil, used tyres, foreign poultry products, second-hand clothing and shoes among others. They were being smuggled into Nigeria through unapproved routes in Ogun.

“For the purpose of clarification, NCS is not responsible for banning certain items from coming into the country neither is it responsible for making laws. Our job is simply to implement the government’s fiscal policies and laws. We draw our power from customs and Excise Management Act CAO C45 LFN 2004 as amended” he added.

Speaking on the involvement of military and para-military men in smuggling, Ejibunu promised to meet the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, and the Commissioners of Police, Lagos and Ogun States to address the issue.