Nigeria Custom Service has identified some of the outstanding achievements it has recorded under its special operation service, codenamed Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT).
The coordinator of the sector 3 of the team, comptroller Olugboyega Perers, disclosed this at the zonal headquarters of the Nigeria Custom Service, Ilorin, kwara state while addressing journalists on the achievements of its team on Tuesday, said “border closure has visibly yielded positive results”
Stressing that other achievements of the closure of border includes; Reduction in Smuggling and entry of illegal migrants, Improved Agricultural sector as most farmers Smile to the Banks, Daily Revenue Generation of Nigeria Customs Service into federation account has equally increased, The exercise has promoted inter-agency cooperation and increase preparedness to address trans-border security challenges such as terrorism, armed banditry, smuggling, proliferation of small arms and light weapons amongst others”
“Increased consumption of local products, Flash points of smuggling into Nigeria have been decimated, The tripartite agreement between Nigeria, Niger, and Benin Republic had led to increased cooperation between security agencies of the aforementioned countries” he said
Comptroller Peters, who addressed press conference alongside officers drawn from various security agencies said “within the space of 18 days, we have recorded Forty Three 43 seizures from Mokwa-Jebba, Gwanara, Okuta and other axis of the Sector. These include; 23 Units of Used Vehicles, 1,274 Bags of Foreign par boiled Rice, One locally made Gun, a Pistol and 8 Cartridges, 9 Drums of AGO, 242 Jerri cans of PMS, 7 Motorcycles, 7 Jerri Cans of 25litres of Groundnut oil with total duty paid Value of the Seized items at is N61,002,800”
Custom Boss, also disclosed that “Five suspects were apprehended in connection with the locally made pistol and cartridges. They are illegal immigrants and were handed over to Nigeria Police Force and Nigerian Immigration Service for further investigation.
“I have said this before and I will continue to say it that there is no retreat on the fight against smuggling in whatever guise. We cannot continue to fold our arms and allow every Tom, Dick and Harry come in and out of our country illegally. Trans-border crimes, such as proliferation of small arms and light weapons, ammunition, human trafficking, drugs trafficking, banditry and terrorism are among other security challenges, which we must check”
