The Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun State Area II Command, on Friday, released a bullion van that was seized in April 2022 after it was used to smuggle rice around border communities of the state.
The command said the vehicle was released to its owner, Bankers Warehouse Ltd.
It also said the sum of N24,489,500 belonging to Access Bank PLC which the bullion van was also moving at the time it was seized was returned to the bank.
The Controller, Ogun Area II Command, Bisi Alade, who disclosed this on Friday while briefing journalists in Abeokuta, disclosed that the command generated the sum of N2, 042,846,429 in November 2023.
He said, “On April 22, 2022, officers and men of the joint border patrol team at the Olorunda axis of Ogun State intercepted the used bullion van, with registration no. FKY 993 BZ, found to have concealed some bags of foreign parboiled rice and N24,489,500.00, along the Sokoto-Ijoun/Joga Road, Abeokuta axis of Ogun State.
“The foreign parboiled rice in 12 bags of 50kg each was carefully concealed in the said vehicle. Consequently, the said vehicle and the items were conveyed to the Customs House, Abeokuta, for safekeeping.
“After examining the vehicle, the said amount of money was discovered and deposited at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Abeokuta branch, for safekeeping. The vehicle was detained while the rice was converted to seizure in line with Section 168 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
“In connection to the above seizures, three suspects were arrested, detained, granted administrative bail, and subsequently charged to court for aiding smuggling. Based on the outcome of the investigation and recommendations of the investigation unit of the Nigeria Customs Service, the CGC approved the release of the detained van and the money in line with the provision of Section 248 (1) and (2) of NCS Act, 2023.”
Meanwhile, the Customs Area Controller in charge of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Charles Orbih, on Friday said that the command made 125 seizures worth N802m in 2023.
Obih was quoted as saying this while speaking with journalists on the activities of the command for 2023.
He also said that the command intercepted combat-ready unmanned aerial vehicles commonly known as drones, alongside military hardware within the period under review.
Orbih explained that the seized drones lacked the essential end-user certificate from the Office of the National Security Adviser and exceeded the allowed specifications for entry into the country.
“While the country allows drones of up to 250 grammes, this combat drone weighs about 5,000 grammes. With a flight capacity of over 70 hours and space for weapon handling, it can be utilised as a weapon of war and it lacks the essential EUC from the NSA,” he said.
Obih added that three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures.
“While the investigation is ongoing, they will be charged to court as soon as it is completed,” he said.
He, however, disclosed that the command generated N30.5bn in revenue between January and December, 2023.
The area controller also revealed that the revenue generated in 2023 exceeded its yearly target by 5 per cent.
