Eromosele Abiodun
The Customs Area Controller, Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Mohammed, Aliyu, has re-stated his commitment to combating smuggling, which he said has assumed a threatening dimension to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
The comptroller while taking stocks of seizures made daily by the command, disclosed that he remains undaunted to accusations from different quarters that are ignorant or not knowledgeable about customs laws.
He reassured genuine stakeholders that they have no course to fear unless the non-compliant ones that have skeleton in their cupboard.
Aliyu who has been suddenly nick named as “Mr. do the right thing†for his onslaught against prohibited items insisted that he cannot stop seizing contrabands and non-compliant goods that refuse to adhere to the law of the land thereby undermining the policies of the federal government of Nigeria that the Nigeria Customs Service stand to enforce at the border.
He disclosed that the command seized over six hundred (600x50kg) bags of rice with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N10 million on the 26th of March, 2018 after destroying a total of over 2800x50kg bags of expired rice the same day with a total DPV of over forty nine (49) million naira. Another seized truck with Reg. No XE-634-MUS disguised to be empty was arrested based on intelligence and discovered to be carrying about 1514 cartons of imported Tin-tomato with a DPV of N8,175,600.00 on the 24th March 2018.
Commenting on the daily seizures that have become a recurring decimal and a routine in the command, the Customs Area Controller said that a visit to the warehouse of the command which is almost filled up to the bream attest to the fact that the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Command is not resting in its oars and responsibility of generating revenue, facilitating legitimate trade, suppression of smuggling and protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria through due diligence in the use of the effective and operational fixed scanner machine at the border command.
Restating his resolute stand, he noted that he is not ready to shy away from his responsibility as far as deliberate perpetrators remain recalcitrant violators of the federal government policies.
Aliyu warned that seizure will continue to be the hall mark of the command and his enforcement officers will continue to do the needful against the unrepentant smugglers.
He stressed that all his achievements is attributed to the mutual consultation and cooperation with the host communities who do share intelligence with the Command, and the cooperation of the sister security agencies who synergise and collaborate with the Nigeria Customs Service for effective border management.
Aliyu disabused the mind of the public who are quick to mention Seme border to any incident of smuggling seen along Lagos metropolis.
He categorically stated that any smugglers who previously before now operate through Seme route will definitely affirm that change has come to Seme.
“Though a trial may convince who ever doubt. Doing the right thing is what is obtainable in Seme border now even to legitimate stakeholders who are ready to use the busy Lagos Abidjan corridor, “he stated.
