The Kwara State Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service among other seizures intercepted Twenty-five packs of ammunition, with twenty-five rounds each, worth N1.4M, meant to be in wrongs round, while it also raked N9.8B between January and December last year.
The disturbed state Comptroller, Hussaini Bello Ahmed who disclosed this to journalists at the command’s premises in Ilorin on Wednesday while displaying the items said that the ammunition is enough to exterminate a whole community, had it been that they got to wrong hands.
He said,”The Command is showcasing the strategic and remarkable seizures of a large quantity of ammunition packaged in 25 packs of 25 rounds each, contained in fourteen cartons, worth One Million Four Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand Naira (N1,444,000.00) This landmark seizure was made around Bukuro axis of the Command.
“Based on intelligence report, the Command intercepted a Peugeot 504 vehicle with registration number AP 448 AKD. On searching the vehicle, it was found to contain a large number of pump-action cartridges suspected to be smuggled into the country.
“This epic Seizure is very commendable at the backdrop of the heightened insecurity in the country. Should Three Thousand Six Hundred and twenty (3,620) rounds of live ammunition of this magnitude escaped into the Country and fall into wrong hands, the result will be appalling, devastating and disastrous.”
The Comptroller, therefore, warned the smugglers,” to desist as any method or techniques used will be uncovered.
“We will continue to confront the challenges that militate against our successes and build on the achievements made so far in the course of carrying out our mandate.”He stressed.
Ahmed among others added that the command also intercepted heaps of foreign parboiled rice from neighbouring countries, off-loaded at Dagi village and Arobaji axis along with Mai-gida Road both in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State, about to be smuggled into different parts of the country.
He said, “We immediately mobilized officers from the command and stormed those areas.
“Despite resistance, threats and confrontations with charms, stones and other dangerous weapons by the perpetrators of this criminal act, officers were able to evacuate a total number of Four Hundred and Two (402) bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each, using about Twenty-one (21) official patrol vehicles to convey the goods to the Command Headquarters.
He said that the command under his watch, “will continue to be at the forefront of anti-smuggling activities, maximizing revenue collection and will not relent on our efforts, while maintaining the highest standard and professionalism in performing our duties to the service and to the Nation at large.”
“We wish to reiterate that the continuous attack on our officers will not deter us from performing our legitimate duties in Kwara State.”He stressed.
He also said that” as the pioneer Customs Area Controller from July 2019 to December 2021 (that is about 29 Months) the command has generated and remitted the sum of Nineteen Billion, One Hundred and Fifty-Nine Million, two Hundred and forty Thousand, One hundred and thirty-four Naira Nineteen Kobo (N19, 159,240,134.19) to the federation account.”
He also tasked the traditional rulers, religious leaders, ward heads and community leaders to educate the youths against the dangers of smuggling, particularly the smuggling of Arms and Ammunition.
“I also want to use this medium to appeal to traditional rulers, religious leaders, ward heads and community leaders to educate the youths against the dangers of smuggling, particularly the smuggling of Arms and Ammunition.”He said.
