NCS, FOU Makes N767m Seizures, Arrests 23 Suspected Smugglers

Eromosele Abiodun

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Ikeja has announced that it seized smuggled items with a total duty paid value of N767,633,458.50 in the month of March 2022 with 23 persons arrested at various points in connection with smuggling activities.

Acting Controller of the unit, DC Hussein Kehinde Ejibunu who disclosed this during a press briefing where he displayed the seizures and suspects said the command collected N89,347,365.25 as revenue within the period.

While frowning at smugglers’ recalcitrant behaviour to always engage in illegalities, the Controller said operatives of the unit will always be unrelenting in our 24 hour patrols to intercept any means of conveyance of smuggled items, seized them and arrests suspects involved in the act

He added that the fight against smuggling will always be reinvigorated to sustain the tempo of economic protection and prevention of dangerous goods from entering the country through any entry point in the South West.

He condemned the gruesome killing of Inspector of Customs, Onwegbuzie by suspected smugglers in Ogun State while discharging his official duties and said the long arms of the law will catch up with such murderers who dumped the murdered officer’s body in a pit

The unit has also declared an onslaught against illegal bunkering activities, which is evident in the seizure of petroleum products by a designated team against it.

Smugglers, according to him, will always face stiff confrontation as the unit will never be deterred by the attacks and recent killing of one officer in the line of duty.

Ejibunu said, “The fight against smuggling is becoming more and more intense and fierce due to increased level of crime.  Smugglers are more determined than ever before to confront officers on patrol even unprovoked. 

“This new wave of daring attitude of smugglers has claimed the lives  of  many  officers;  the  latest  being  the  hacking  to death  with  machete  of  Inspector  of  Customs,  Onwegbuzie  A.,  along  Senator  Road, Ilaro  axis of  Ogun  State  after  making  a  seizure  on  Wednesday  2nd  March,  2022.

“The officer was not only gruesomely murdered but his body  was  dumped  in  a deep  pit.  Interestingly,  newspapers  were  not  awash  with  the  report  of  the incident.  Were  it  the  other  way  round,  there  would  have  been  noise  everywhere.”