In compliance with the Federal Government directives aimed at ensuring food security in the country, Kebbi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has toughened vigilance at its borders to checkmate any attempt to smuggle out food produce.
In a press statement signed by the public relations officer SC Nasiru Manga on Wednesday, the Command intercepted one trailer fully loaded with bags of grains.
The outbound Daf truck with Reg. No. JEG 27 XB was intercepted by Rapid Response Team of the Command along Maidahini-Bunza Road on 15th May, 2022. Physical examination of the truck revealed that it contained 800bags of white sorghum valued at six million, two hundred and twenty seven thousand and two hundred naira (6,227,200) naira.
Briefing news men on the Command activities in the last two weeks in Birnin Kebbi, Wednesday, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Joseph Attah revealed that earlier, the previous week, vigilant officers of the Command intercepted the same white sorghum being conveyed in a trailer along Kamba Road. He said when the driver failed to produce export documents; the truck was detained in the Command’s Headquarters and was later released on compassionate ground with the owner promising to return the product to their warehouse in Kaduna for domestic consumption. But upon the release of the truck, they transferred the content into the intercepted Daf truck to disguise and smuggle it out, unknown to them that an officer had been detailed to monitor their movement.
Comptroller Attah noted that the ongoing crisis between countries known for grain production has created an uncertainty in the global grains market.
He emphasised the need to to secure the locally produced grains so as to avoid being plunged into food crisis.
“In the last two weeks under review, we have seized two hundred and nine (209) jerricans (5,225 Liters) of PMS, eighteen jerricans (450 litres) of AGO, one Daf Truck used as means of conveyance, thirty nine (39) bags of foreign parboiled rice, five cartons of medicaments and ten (10) bales of second hand clothing, among others. The Duty Paid Value of all the items in the period under review is twenty seven million, six hundred and seventy seven thousand and six hundred and fifty nine naira (27,677,659). The amount generated as fees from the auction sales of the PMS and AGO has been remitted to the Federal Government.
Commenting on the recent reopening of Kamba Border and reactivation of the Command’s ICT center, Comptroller Attah assured stakeholders that the Command is ready to facilitate legitimate trade for all stakeholders who choose to transact their business through the Command, stressing that all relevant units at the border have agreed to jointly examine consigners to remove unnecessary delays.