The Coordinator Joint Border Drill Operations, North Central Zone, Sector 3, of the Nigeria Customs Services, Comptroller Muhammed Garba has said no smuggler of killed in a recent Kwara border operation.
He stated this on the heels of allegation that a smuggler died during a raid by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Services in the state.
He made this known to Pilot Crime during an interview in his office at the Command headquarters, Irewolede area, Ilorin, Kwara State.
“All the arrests we made were at Chikanda, Jebba, Alapa-Mandala axis and no life was lost in the process.
He, however, said that operatives were attacked by smugglers and thugs with cutlasses and other harmful objects and destroyed operational vehicles during one of the operations.
The Customs boss revealed that to the squad seized goods worth N91,490,140 in its recent operations.
He enumerated the goods seized to include, “1433 bags of foreign rice , 56 unit of various types of used vehicles, 30 bales of second hand clothings, 220 units of used tyres, 426 Jerry cans of PMS, 6 drums of PMS, 29 Jerry cans of AGO among others.”
Garba added that the seizures were made around Chikanda, Kotangora and Jebba- Mokwa, Alapa/Mandala axis.
He condemned the attack on Customs operatives on legitimate duty by the smugglers and miscreants.
“Our officers were almost lynched with stones and machetes at Dogo-Ogbomosho axis. Our official vehicles were not spared.”
Garba stressed that the attack on officers will not deter the sector from performing its legitimate duties and warned disgruntled element to desist from such acts as anyone arrested would be made to face the full wrath of law.
He reiterated commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service to ridding the country of contraband goods.
It would be recall that this medium had earlier reported the interception of eleven vehicles loaded with bags of rice at Banni area of Kwara State and the alleged killing of one smuggler in the process.
