Customs Comptroller reports smugglers’ loss of N1.5bn in Ogun
By Sodiq Adelakun
The Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu, has announced that smugglers in Ogun State have incurred losses of over N1.5 billion to the service within a span of nine months.
Speaking at the fifth annual symposium organised by the command and Ipokia Local Government Youth Forum (IPYF), the Comptroller highlighted the detrimental effects of smuggling on border communities and national security.
He expressed concern over the command’s past experiences, which have resulted in the loss of several officers and left others with permanent disabilities.
The Comptroller emphasised the urgent need to address smuggling, as it hampers national development, threatens security, and undermines the country’s well-being.
Citing an instance of recent seizures of a cache of smuggled ammunition and other harmful substances like Cannabis Sativa, also known as Indian hemp, Shu’aibu said these were good examples of the threats of smuggling to “our social well-being and national security.”
“These experiences range from blocking of access roads by smugglers and their sympathisers, mob attacks of officers, either going in pursuit of information or conveying seized goods to the government warehouse, skirmishes to altercation, which often resulted in casualties.
“Our dear communities had also lost many of their members to the evil of this unfortunate demon called smuggling.
“Smugglers in the axis lost One Billion, Five Hundred, Fourteen Million, Four Hundred and Seventy-eight Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixteen Naira (N1, 514, 478, 916.00) to the command between January to date,” he said, adding that if such huge amount of money was expended on legitimate trade, it would improve the nation’s economy.
“Our core mandate in Ogun State is to generate revenue, suppress smuggling, facilitate legitimate trade and secure our border lines. Therefore, security and development of the country was the responsibility of everyone,” he said.
He, however, called for maximum support and cooperation of everyone in the fight against smuggling and urged them to join hands with the command to bring Zero tolerance to smuggling.
