By Siaka Momoh
The Chinese businessmen behind the massive illegal importation of textiles into Kano are to be deported from Nigeria. The fate of the businessmen was announced after a joint inspection visit to Kano by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi and the Comptroller – General of Immigration, David Parradang.
Five Chinese nationals were involved in the operation of illegal warehouses in Kano, where prohibited textile materials worth billions of naira were uncovered by Customs anti-smuggling operatives.
Parradang said that investigations by his Service revealed that three out of the five Chinese nationals did not possess valid travel documents to reside and engage in any business in Nigeria beyond the scope of their admission.
He said that with this, immediate steps would be taken to effect their deportation, adding that investigations were still in progress to ascertain the immigration status of the other two Chinese nationals.
He said that with this, immediate steps would be taken to effect their deportation, adding that investigations were still in progress to ascertain the immigration status of the other two Chinese nationals.
The Comptroller-General further stated that the Service would intensify routine mop-up operations to ease out irregular immigrants, adding that those who are law-abiding and contribute to the national economic development through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and technologytransfer would be encouraged and given every possible assistance.
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Those involved in the illegal textile warehouse business are Gao Guoxu, aged 26 with passport No E12893246; Li Yang, 28 with Passport No E39324316 and Zhang Jiantao, 26 with Passport No E00078159. Others include Zhao Shoumin, 26 with Passport No E32882412, and Zhou Jinxue, 35 with Passport No E23094307.
Reacting to insinuations that there were more foreign nationals doing illegal business in Nigeria, the Immigration boss appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to oblige the Service information about such foreigners.
Meanwhile, a team of Customs Valuation Officers are still collating the textile seizures to determine the quantity and value. Dikko Inde Abdullahi said the team has concluded the exercise in only one of the 75 warehouses that were sealed up by his men. Textiles items discovered in the warehouse, according to him, was valued at N4.2 billion.
He told reporters that the objective of the joint operation in Kano is about salvaging the national economy through the protection of the textile industry. He said the huge seizure made through intelligence network cultivated over a period of 3 months shows that some illegal foreigners are sabotaging Nigerian economy through their illegal business.
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