FOU impounds 195 vehicles, 22,742 bags of rice

BETWEEN January and June this year, the Federal Operations Units (FOU) Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, impounded 195 vehicles consisting of 95 ‘scraps’ valued at N228.2million, payable duty of N79.6 million and Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N308.1million.

Also within the period, the unit confiscated 22,742 bags of rice valued at N113.5million with a payable duty of N34.1million and DPV of N147.6million.

In a related development, the unit within the period under review clampdown on 375 ‘assorted general merchandise’ including new and used textile materials, new and used shoes, vegetable oil, insecticide, wine, various types of spaghetti and noodles, soaps and detergents valued at N119.8million with a payable duty of N24.2million and DPV of N143.4million coupled with 195 seizures of smuggled frozen poultry products.

The Controller, FOU Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, Turaki Usman Adamu explained in a statement that the unit apprehended 68 suspects in connection with the seizures during the period under review.

Generally speaking, he explained that the unit recorded 1,030 different remarkable seizures valued at N592.6 million.
Speaking on challenges confronting the unit, Turaki said: “The successes recorded by the unit did not just happen, but was as a result of total commitment of officers/men of the unit.

“These successes did not come without challenges and some of these challenges range from the hostility and volatility of some areas where we operate, nefarious activities of some fake informants as well as the role of misguided and unpatriotic elements who strongly believe that smuggling is their legitimate right.

“However, the unit remains on top of its statutory functions and is making serious in roads/waves in ensuring seamless operations even in very volatile terrains.

“It is pertinent to state that the unit is ICT (Information and Communication Technology) compliant even prior to the additional responsibility of Revenue collection by the Comptroller General of Customs  (CGC) on the 17th of September, 2014.

“It is also noteworthy that the unit as the flagship of anti-smuggling has recorded seizures in terrains which hitherto were no go areas. “This feat has been possible with support of the CGC and management particularly with the APC (Armoured Personal Carrier), which the CGC gave to the unit.

“The officers and men have remained untiring, undaunted, resolute and determined more than ever in pursuance of the anti-smuggling functions, said Turaki.
Turaki explained that the effect of smuggling to the socio-economic and socio-political life of Nigeria cannot be overemphasized.

He said: “Apart from the fact that it is a veritable source of unemployment, it also affects the Gross Domestic Production (GDP) of the country.

“The NCS is aware of the responsibility on its shoulders particularly in ensuring that smuggled goods do not flood our markets because it will naturally cripple our indigenous industries.

“We are fully determined to live up to expectation as we have the capacity and competence to deal decisively with issues of smuggling. “We want to use this medium to call on Nigerians to support the NCS in the war against smuggling through obliging us with necessary information that could guide our operations”.