Smuggling: Ogun Border Communities Monarchs Demand Employment Quota From Customs
LAGOS FEBRUARY 8TH (NEWSRANGERS)-In a quest to stem the rising tide of smuggling activities in many of its border area’s, traditional rulers in border communities of Ogun State have asked the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to specifically create a quota for children of the border communities during Customs recruitment exercises in-order to generate employment for their teeming youths.
Disclosing this in a statement issued very late on Monday evening, the Customs Area Controller of Ogun 1 Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, also gave details of the Command scorecard for the year 2021 and January 2022.
According to Comptroller Nnadi, “Revenue (fees collected from the auction sales of seized petroleum products and scrap metals) from January to December 2021 is N41,193,829.00. in January 2022 alone, we collected N2,727,376.50, revenue totalling N43,921,205.50 from January 2021 to January 2022.
“On the quantity of seized items from January to December 2021, we have 57,758 bags of 50kg each (96 trailer loads) of foreign parboiled rice; 10 units of used vehicle popularly referred to as tokunbo in local parlance; 231 units of means of conveyance.
“Other items include poultry products, used tyres, second-hand clothing, dangerous drugs (tramadol and cannabis sativa), palm oil, assorted soaps and cream.
“In January 2022, we seized 3,008 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each (equivalent of 5 trailer loads); 17 units of vehicles used as means of conveyance; 1,353 cartons of Frozen poultry products; 15,000 litres of Petroleum products (PMS); 17 bales of second-hand clothing; 127 small bags and 15 big sacks of Cannabis Sativa; 3 kegs of 25 litres each, 5 kegs 1.8 litres, 4 kegs of 5 litres and 12 bottles of Vegetable oil; bringing the total seizure from January 202 to January 2022 to 1,389.
“The Duty Paid Value of seized goods from January 2021 to January 2022 stands at N1,484,422,447.00.
“However, these achievements (progress) so far, were not made on a platter of gold. On several occasions, our officers while performing their lawful duties come under sustained harassment and attacks from daredevil smugglers and their supporters/sympathizers who use pump action riffles, AK47 rifles, local charms and other dangerous weapons to attack, kill and maim Officers.
“We wish to reiterate that the sustained attack on operatives of NCS and other sister Agencies will not deter us from the continued performance of our legitimate duties in Ogun State.
“The Command will continue to dialogue, engage, sensitize and educate the public on social/economic implication of smuggling as well as performing the statutory function of enforcing compliance in line with government fiscal policies.
“During my courtesy visit to the traditional rulers in various communities in the State and to the State Governor, His Excellency Prince Dr Dapo Abiodun MFR, I sought for their support in combating smuggling and urged them to educate their subjects on the menace of smuggling and incessant attacks on security operatives discharging their statutory duties.
“In all the traditional palaces visited, the challenges facing the border communities were enumerated to include lack of federal presence in terms of infrastructure and developments, unemployment of the youths and we received a request for Nigeria Customs Service to specifically create a quota for children of the border communities during its recruitment exercises to generate employment for their teeming youths.
“I have communicated their request and recommended same to the Management of the Nigeria Customs Service.
“Let me at this interval, appreciate the collaborative efforts of other sister agencies in the fight against smuggling and appeal for their continuous support. It is important to note that activities embarked upon by the Command are a patriotic duty in the interest of national security and economic wellbeing of Nigeria.”
Tribune
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Posted by News Rangers
on Feb 8 2022. Filed under Business, National.
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