Story by Dili Utomi.
The sector 2 of the interventionist team set up by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) as an additional security mechanism to check the smuggling of harmful and other items called the Joint Border Patrol Team and formerly known as the Border Drill has continued to inflict heavy losses in their duty to limit the capabilities of smugglers. The Team which has the components of the Customs, Immigration, Police, Army and the Directorate of State Security is headed by the Customs.
A press conference took place today at the Customs Training School centre of the Team where the new Coordinator, Comptroller Mohammed Nasir Usman showed the most recent seizures made by the Team to the press.
Comptroller Usman who took over from Comptroller Nurudeen Hassan on April the 12th seems to have calmly and effectively stepped into the shoes of the amiable retired officer. A cursory look at the the seizures made since his resumption shows that the Team has made so many seizures of different items of smuggling which have been deposited at the various Commands within the Western Zone jurisdiction of the Team. The Coordinator noted that “Within a month of my resumption, a total of 11, 419 items with Duty Paid Value of Three Hundred and Twenty -Seven Million, Six Hundred and Thirty – Nine Thousand, Four Hundred Naira only (#327,639,400:00k) and Auction Value of about Six Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty – Nine Thousand, Five Hundred Naira only(#6,789,500:00k) have been made”.
Cumulatively, the seized goods within the period from the 12th of April to the 26th of May include
5,883 bags of 50 kg imported foreign parboiled rice;
3,580 (30litres) Jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS);
45 cars used as means of conveyances;
2 motorcycles used as means of conveyances;
61 pieces of used tyres;
10 sacks of Cannabis Sativa;
14 sacks of leather bags;
8 bales of Second hand clothings;
5 imported fairly used cars;
1 Dane Gun and
1 live ammunition.
These seizures which are in violation of Schedule 3 and 4 of the Customs and Excise common external tariff on imports prohibition list were made possible by
the use of technology and intelligence gathering, according to the Coordinator.
In an interview after the press briefing, the Coordinator explained that they intercept smuggled Jerry cans of petrol on daily basis which smugglers pass through different roads and water routes. He stated that the dedication, willingness and hardwork are the good ingredients and qualities that his officers employ to deal with the smugglers and also noted that they need more logistics, weapons and man power to continue to perform at the optimum level. The Coordinator said that 4 suspects were arrested over the period and are undergoing prosecution.
A pick up vehicle used by the officers of the JBPT, but riddled with bullets was also displayed for the press to see. The Coordinator expresses his gladness for the support that he so far enjoys from the Controller General of Customs, his officers and the cooperation of the sister agencies and the Media.
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