BY
STEPHEN
DIJO PHILEMON
Recounting is
achievements in year 2016, The comptroller Federal Operation Unit Zone ‘A’,
Haruna Mamadu who has vowed not to give smugglers a breathing space but combat
smuggling headlong has arraigned two Chinese men in court for smuggling
activities.
He said in the month of December alone the unit, having intensified
its anti-smuggling operations intercepted various contrabands with duty value
(DPV) of Eight Hundred and Ninety Three
Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Naira
only (N893,873,250.00)
In the same vein, the unit
through its interventions recovered Four Hundred and Ninety Four Million, Four
Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Five Naira, Ninety Two
Kobo only (N494,416,975.92) from duty
payments and demand notices on vehicles and other general goods that tried to
beat the system from seaports, airport and border stations in the guise of
false declaration, transfer of value, and shortchange in duty payment that are
meant for the Federal Government of Nigeria, making a cumulative of One Billion, Three Hundred and Eighty Eight
Million, Two Hundred and Ninety Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty Five Naira,
Ninety Two Kobo (N1,388,290,225.92)
This huge recovery in the
history of the Unit just in one month was attributed to the leadership by
example and motivation the Comptroller gave to the Officers and Men of the Unit
when he assumed duty and some appreciable compliance levels of some patriotic
Nigerians who voluntarily paid appropriate duties on their goods and vehicles before
the deadline on the ban of vehicles through the land borders which was January
1, 2017.
While commending the Officers and Men of the
Unit for living up to their statutory responsibilities in suppression of
smuggling and enhancing trade facilitation towards sustaining best international
standards. Comptroller Haruna Mamudu thanked the Comptroller General of Customs
Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) for his effort in appreciating hard work and
diligence to duty, and for always been there in giving helping hands when the
need arises.
The two Chinese
smugglers Mr. Shu Xiang Quan and Mr. Wu Sheng He and One Nigerian Mr. Ugochukwu
Frank were arraigned before Hon. Justice
Mohammed Hassan of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Lagos State on Thursday
29th December 2016 on four (4) counts charge of storing and exporting
prohibited items.
The three suspects have been remanded in Ikoyi Prison for
trial as the case was adjourned to January 5th and 23rd , 2017 respectively.
Badejogbin David ESQ who led the legal team of the Nigeria Customs Service
prayed that the court expedite the legal proceedings to serve as deterrent to
others. A total of 22 Suspects were
arrested in the month of December.
Part of the responsibility of
the Federal Operations Unit in enforcing different International protocols and
conventions has continued to increase the responsibilities of the Nigeria
Customs Service most especially in area of trade facilitation. This is why Comptroller Mamudu vowed that no effort would be spared to enforce the
United Nations chatter on preservation of endangers species entails that
Customs Administrations globally protect wild life by intercepting illegal
trade on such animals.
The seized tusks and unprocessed animal scale he said, would
be handed over to the Nigeria Environment Standards and Regulatory Enforcement
Agency (NESREA) for further action. He said his Unit would not relent in its
effort in intercepting all contrabands from either going out or coming into the
country.
In the month under
review, 126 different seizures were recorded comprising Raw Hide/Skin, Elephant
tusks, foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, smuggled vehicles,
Indian hemp and various general merchandise.
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