Customs FOU ‘A’ Seized Smuggled Goods Worth N10 Billion In 2023, Including 132 Tokunbo Cars

Nigeria Customs FOU ‘A’ Ikeja seized smuggled goods worth N10 billion in 2023, vows to intensify battle against smuggling.

Seizures includes 139 trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice, 132 Tokunbo cars and 2,942 pieces of foreign-used tyres.

Customs FOU ‘A’ Ikeja said it also recovered a total of N851.7 million as revenue through meticulous document checking.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Units Zone A, Ikeja, has vowed to intensify its battle against smuggling this year as it declares making 1,119 seizures of contrabands worth N10 billion in 2023.

Comptroller of the unit, Hussein Ejibunu, made this known during a press briefing at the unit’s Headquarters in Ikeja on Wednesday, 10 January 2024,

Ejibunu, who warned smugglers to desist from attacking officers, explained that no attacker of Customs personnel would be spared from facing the full wrath of the law.

“Let me put it on record that we shall lawfully arrest and prosecute any individual involved in the attack of our officers who are discharging their legitimate responsibilities. If they don’t desist from their criminal ways, this year will be tougher for them because they will lose their investments and freedom when arrested,” he emphasized.

According to Comptroller Ejibunu, some of seizures worth a total duty-paid value of N10,395,123,943 (about N10.3 billion, includes :

139 trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice (83,170 bags of 50kg).

13,706 kegs of 25 liters Premium Motor Spirit (PMS also known as petrol)

2,942 pieces of foreign-used tyres

15 pieces of bulletproof jackets

15 pieces of jack knives

68 pieces of military camouflage

132 units of foreign-used vehicles (Tokunbo)

Ejibunu also revealed that the unit was able to recover a total of N851,719,905.01 (N851.7 million) as revenue through meticulous document checking.

“We were able to identify shortfalls in duty payments from which demand notices were issued, and accurate revenue was recovered,” he concluded.

• See Also : Between Jan-Nov 2023, Customs Seized 533 Smuggled Cars Worth N2.9b, Car Dealers Blame High Duty