Border closure: Rice smugglers have become desperate – Customs boss

The Nigeria Customs Service Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone B, Mustapha Sarkin Kebbi, ‎ said the border closure has made foreign rice smugglers desperate as they turned to re-packaging foreign rice  in made-in-Nigerian rice bags. But the Comptroller said the Customs would not relent in its efforts to protect the borders from unpatriotic citizens who […]

The Nigeria Customs Service Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone B, Mustapha Sarkin Kebbi, ‎ said the border closure has made foreign rice smugglers desperate as they turned to re-packaging foreign rice  in made-in-Nigerian rice bags.

But the Comptroller said the Customs would not relent in its efforts to protect the borders from unpatriotic citizens who are doing everything possible to harm Nigeria’s economy. The Comptroller said this while interacting with Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria ( RIFAN) and Car Dealers Association leadership in Kaduna.

“The border drill is about Nigeria’s economy and security. If the smugglers escape the border drill we will still get them at their warehouses or along the roads. They are now desperate that they are doing everything possible to smuggle foreign rice into the country,” he said.

He explained further that the Federal Government has already profiled major smugglers of rice in the country and their accounts have been frozen. He said after investigation they may be prosecuted if found guilty.

He said the high profile smugglers were known and measures have been taken against them as he vowed that with the border drill the economy of Nigeria would be safeguarded.

He further explained that the Zone has seized smuggled goods worth 304,397,100,00 in two months,  among the goods intercepted from August to date were  4,8 93 bags of foreign rice, 56 smuggled vehicles, 677 bags of sugar 1,215 cartons of spaghetti, 391 bales of Second hand clothing, 982 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 21 cartons of Tomato paste, three cartons of codeine syrup and one motorcycle.

Comptroller Sarki Kebbi said all operations were carried out in line with sections 147 (Power Search Premises)  and 158 (Power to Patrol Freely) of CEMA cap C45 LFN.

In his remarks the RIFAN State Chairman Alhaji Mohammed Umar Numbu commended the effort of the Customs for ensuring that no foreign rice came into the country through the borders.

He said the border drill if sustained will help local farmers to remain in business and make profit from what they produce. He assured Customs of their association support to ensure that the Federal Government border drill policy succeed.