The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service said on Wednesday that it has intercepted various kind of contraband worth over N67 million in one week from 7th to 14th of January, 2020.
A statement signed by Jerry Attah, public relations officer of the Unit, stated that barely one week after Usman Yahaya, resumes as the acting Customs Area Controller of the Unit, has continued to live up to his statutory responsibilities especially in the area of anti-smuggling operations.
“His quest for outstanding performance using credible intelligence has begun to yield positive results with the interception of 2,065 jerrycans of vegetable oil 25liters each; 1,185 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice; 1,500 jerrycans (25lts) of diesel; all with a duty paid value of 67,362,500.00,” Attah stated.
According to him, the feat was as a result of series of meetings held with the unit’s sectional heads, team/patrol leaders where he unveiled the management’s mandate which include blockage of all revenue leakages, trade facilitation and intensification of anti-smuggling operations at various entry points; seaports, land borders, and airport within its jurisdiction in the South-West zone.
Yahaya warned smugglers of the danger that lies ahead for them if they do not engage in legitimate trade.
He called on all the members of the general public to support the fight against smuggling by providing necessary intelligence that could assist the service in reducing smuggling to its barest minimum.
Attah further stated that Yahaya’s redeployment was part of the Comptroller- General’s strategies to re-jig and reposition the Service for greater efficiency and effectiveness especially in the areas of revenue generation, trade facilitation as well as combating smuggling.
Usman Yahaya is a quintessential and an enforcement guru who hitherto was the coordinator of Strike Force, Zone ‘A’ before he was posted to FOU Zone ‘A’ as the Acting Controller.
He took over on Tuesday 7th January 2020, from Aliyu Mohammed, who was elevated to a new assignment as the Acting Sector 4 Commander of Border Drill Operations code-named Ex-Swift Response.
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE
