JBPT patrol seizes smuggled goods worth N28.2m in two months
By Tobi Adetunji
Joint border patrol team (JBPT) in the North-Central zone, Section 3, said it made a total number of 35 seizures of various prohibited items with duty paid value of N28.2 million within two months.
The JBPT coordinator, Comptroller Olugboyega Peters, make this disclosure on Wednesday in Ilorin, when speaking with journalists on activities of the team between April 1 and June 2, 2021.
He however said, that smuggling activities are a worldwide phenomenon and Nigeria cannot be in isolation.
“All over the world, security agencies can only try to suppress but cannot totally eradicate smuggling in the society.”
Giving more insight into the goods confiscated, the Customs boss said that the seized items include: 637 bags of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice, 795 kegs of 25 litres of premium motor spirit of 25 litres each, 15 units of Nigerian used vehicles, 14 cartons of condense milk, 4 cartons of batteries, 14 tin tomatoes paste, and three bags of sugar.
“Notwithstanding the aforementioned, it is my pleasure to inform you that we have not lost sight of the very important function of the fight against smuggling, human trafficking and compliance with ECOWAS agreement by neighbouring countries.
“ We have sharpened our intelligence, re-strategized and drawn a more robust Area of Responsibility (AOR) to help combat these illicit activities,” he said.
Comptroller Peters, who said that officers and men of the team were usually attacked by smugglers on border routes, warned that offenders would be made to face the wrath of the law.
“Despite the series of attacks by daredevil smugglers/hoodlums during our course of duty, the Sector will not be distracted from executing its mandate. To this end, anyone caught disrupting our officers in the line of duty or perpetuating nefarious activities of smuggling etc shall be made to face the wrath of the law.
“I hereby wish to express my unalloyed gratitude to other security agencies, Community Leaders, and Youth Leaders who are showing concern and are collaborating with the team in the fight against smuggling and human trafficking.
“The sector will continue to dialogue, engage, sensitize and educate the public, especially the people along the border axis on Socio-Economic implication of smuggling as well as the performance of its statutory function of enforcing partial border closure in line with Federal Government fiscal policies,” he said.
