The Coordinator, DC Shuiab at the briefing.
Story by Dili Utomi.
The Joint Border patrol Team was inaugurated on the 20th of August 2019 to address security challenges along the nation’s international borders caused by the proliferation of smuggled small and light weapons, illicit drugs, prohibited goods, and other cross-border crimes.
The control of the Unit was domiciled at the office of the adviser to the President on national security with the National Security Adviser coordinating the management of the Team while working closely with the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Police, the Immigration Service, the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency, and the Nigerian Customs Service as the lead agency to ensure an improved security at the nations border.
The Team has over the years carefully albeit in the midst of varying degrees of difficulties carried out its mandates in accordance with the responsibilities of the Nigeria Customs Service as stated.
The Coordinator of sector 2 of the Team covering the South West Zone is the amiable Deputy Controller of Customs, Shuiab M.S. who held a press briefing on the activities of the Team over time. DC Shuiab disclosed that “The doggedness and the sacrifice of JBPT Sector 2 in fighting cross-border crimes was instrumental in achieving some significant successes. These include the seizure of goods worth a Duty Paid Value of over N36.7 Billion and the interception of 1,507 irregular immigrants”.
“The Sector’s efforts also boosted the Federal Government’s revenue through auction sales. An aggregate of One Billion, One Hundred and Forty Million, One Hundred and Sixty-two Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixtytwo Naira (N1,140,162,562) was paid into the federation account from the sales of seized petroleum products, at the same time the national security was enhanced by seizing and frustrating the supply chains of illicit goods which had security implications and concerns”.
He noted that “The most recent of this kind of seizures was on December 3, 2024, when a patrol team sighted a man running away from a stationed Toyota Camry Saloon car along the Okerete-Ododo bush path of Oyo State. The fleeing man‘s action raised suspicion on the abandoned vehicle and it was intercepted. After conducting a search on the vehicle, it was found to contain six pump-action rifles with the following numbers: 602-H22YT641, 602-H22YT-397, 602-H22YT-623, 22-MT-0238, P537916, and T051084. A total of 1,125 pieces of live cartridges were found to be carefully concealed inside sacks containing cassava flakes”.
A group photograph of officers with DC Shuiab and the seized items after the briefing.
Prominent among other seizures recorded from 20 August 2019 till date are;
I. 130,954 bags of foreign bags of rice (50kg) equivalent to 218 truck loads
II. 7,200 kg of pangolin scales III. 5,575,020 litres of Premium motor spirit 11,322 cartons of foreign frozen products.
4,124 bales of used clothes.
4,057 kegs of vegetable oil VII. 15 pump action riffles VIII. 280 suspected cases of human trafficking IX. 480 units of motor vehicles X. 1,190 means of conveyance.
At the questions and answers session, DC Shuiab said that the raffles were intercepted with the support of the other sister agencies, he urged Nigerians to stay away from such businesses adding that without weapons kidnapping would not be perpetrated in the country.
The Coordinator also used the opportunity to award some deserving officers of the Team as he encouraged them to continue to give their best to Nigeria.
The Coordinator also thanked the National Security Adviser and the Comptroller-General of Customs for their great supports over the period.
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