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Operation Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) sector 3, on Wednesday confirmed interception of live ammunition of five hundred and fifty cartridges contained in twenty two packs of 25 pieces each at the Benue axis of North central.
The coordinator of the team, Compt. Olugboyega Peters pse (t) dss, mnim, disclosed this while briefing Journalists on the scorecard of his team from August to date said “Based on intelligence report, the sector intercepted a commercial Bus around Junction, Adikpo in Benue State heading to Taraba State.
“On searching the vehicle, two black Bacco sacks found to contain pump action cartridges suspected to be smuggled into the country. Saying ammunition, driver and the suspect were arrested immediately and brought to Sector 3 Headquarters in Ilorin, Kwara State, after preliminary investigation, as the law of jurisdiction demands, they were all handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Benue State for further investigation”
Talking on the damage the ammunition would have caused if escaped into the public domain, Olugboyega said “this epic seizure is very commendable at the backdrop of the heightened insecurity in the country, should Five hundred and Fifty rounds of live ammunition escaped into the Country and fall into wrong hands, the consequences will be devastating”
He, also disclosed that sector 3 under him made seizure of 49 items, include; 1,251 Jeri cans of 25 liters each of PMS, 751 Bags of foreign par boiled Rice, 9 Used Vehicles, 550 live cartridges as earlier mentioned above, 7 Bales of second clothing and 1 Motorcycles used as a means of conveyance of PMS and also used smuggling surveillance.
He, made it know that for avoidance of doubt, Customs and excise Management Act Cap 45 LFN 2004 (as amended) gives Customs officers so many powers among a, section 46 give powers to seize goods, section 145 gives us power to examine, section 150 power to search people, sections 158 and 167 empower Customs officers to patrol freely across nation and makes provision for detentions, seizures and condemnation of goods respectively, section 147 and 149 powers to search premises without warrant and power to search vehicles/ships respectively.
He, however, appeal to border communities most especially youths to eschew from smuggling and stop confronting or obstructing operatives from carrying out their legitimate duties, noting that Joint Border Patrol Team under heads of security agencies, including Comptroller General of Custom, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd) and his management team will do all it takes to ensure that Smuggling suffocates and in due course collapse.
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