The Niger/Kogi Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Wednesday declared that it has intercepted no fewer than seventy-nine bags of foreign rice.
DAILY POST gathered that the interception of the rice is coming after over three months of the closure of Nigerian borders.
Public Relations Officer (PRO), of the command, Mr. Benjamin Lomba in a statement made available to DAILY POST, said that despite the border closure, the command, through intelligence gathering, intercepted and arrested one (1) Mitsubishi Canter loaded with Seventy-Nine (79) 100kg bags of foreign rice along Yauri road in Kontagora axis of Niger State.
He added that the duty paid value of the seized items is put at two million, six hundred and eighty-six thousand naira (N2,686,000.00.)
Lomba said, “The Niger/Kogi Command of the Niger Customs Service has continued to reinvigorate and intensify efforts in its anti-smuggling drive, on Sunday 8th December, 2019 at 0300hours through intelligence gathering a patrol team intercepted and arrested one (1) Mitsubishi Canter loaded with Seventy-Nine (79) 100kg bags of foreign rice along Yauri road in Kontagora axis of Niger State.
“The Duty Paid Value for this bags of rice is put at N2,686,000.00.
“This seizure is coming on the heels of One Iveco fourteen (14) tyre truck loaded with Two hundred and Ninety-Two (292) 50kg bags of imported rice concealed with sugarcane in order to beat our officers on routine patrol.
“The Customs Area Controller is using this medium to state that there is no hiding place for smugglers within the Niger/Kogi Command area, especially during this Christmas season.
“We Officers and men of Niger/Kogi Command are ready to confront all the challenges that militate against our successes.
“We will continue to build on the achievements so far made in both revenue generation and anti-smuggling feats, while the Command wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year ahead”.
