The Area Command Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service in Ogun State, Sani Madugu has raised an alarm that smugglers now use the creeks along the border communities at Idiroko, Ipokia Local Government Area, to smuggle in bags of rice and other prohibited products into the country.
Sani Madugu who took over the command barely one month ago, said within the period of one month, officers and men of the command during surveillance had intercepted 483 bags of rice, 721 cartons of imported croaker fish, two exotic cars (Mercedes Benz S-class 2015 model and Toyota corolla 2009 model) and one Volvo truck.
According to the Custom Boss, all the goods intercepted have custom Duty valued at over N37m.
While briefing newsmen yesterday at the command’s border office at Idiroko about seizure of prohibited goods coming through land borders Madugu, said “We have discovered one of the new methods of smuggling bags of rice and other prohibited products into Nigeria through Idiroko, is through the creeks in Ipokia.” “The smugglers now use small, small canoes to bring in the bags of rice. They were not aware that we had mounted surveillance there, as they were bringing in the consignments, our operatives swooped on them. In the last three weeks, we have made seizure of 483 of 50kg bags of rice. “Also, we also intercepted along Idiroko axis two buses with number plates AKD ,674 XU and KJA 635 XU, carrying 721 cartons of croaker fish. Two exotic cars, Mercedes Benz S-class 2015 model, Toyota corolla 2009 model and one Volvo truck.”
Madugu also warned that any smuggler who engages Custom operatives around the Tollgate areaof Sango-Ota in gun battle would get “fire for fire
