Showcasing the seizures at the Command s Headquarters, the Niger/Kogi Area Controller, Comptroller Abubakar Mohammed Adamu said that the Command has deployed measures towards e suring that the area becomes unbearable to smugglers and non-compliant traders who engage in smuggling.
According to him, 140 rolls of foreign rugs, 50 bales of second hand clothing, 920 kegs of PMS, 8 motorcycles and 200 pieces of used tyres were also seized.
“The Cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) for all the seized items amounted to seven hundred and fifty five million, three hundred and seventy seven thousand, eight hundred and sixty six Naira only (N755,377,866.00),” Adamu said.
The Controller said that this success was recorded due to the massive intelligence deployed during the operations adding that by applying the rules of engagement during the operations, no casualties were recorded.
He also stated that with the posting of the Post Clearance Audit (PCA) and Valuation officers to the Command, the Command has been able to recover N74,919,135 from Demand notices and disposal of seized PMS.
Adamu warned the smugglers living within Niger/Kogi Area Command and its environs that the Federal Government’s directive on border closure is still in force in Babanna which is the only border station in the Command stressing that there will be no export or import activities through border until further notice.
“Let me again warn smugglers and criminal elements that we will always discover all illegal routes they use for their nefarious activities, make seizures, arrest and cripple their illegitimate. To be forewarned is to be forearmed”, he warned.
Adamu further said that the Command have been engaging the Royal Leaders to warn their wards and subjects to desist from smuggling while the youths in the border communities are being enlightened on the ills of smuggling and other related vices to the Nigerian economy.