The Nigerian Customs Service anti-smuggling war has yielded positive results as the Adamawa and Taraba states command has seized Premium Motor Spirit worth over N104.4m in Adamawa State.
Briefing journalists on Tuesday in Yola, the command headquarters, the comptroller, Garba Bashir, said the operations were geared towards national security, energy security, enhancing national economic growth and trade facilitation in consonance with the main thrusts of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
“We are pleased to report that during the reporting period of four weeks, the command had another seizure with the monetary value of N104,456,550.
“The seized items include: 36,835 litres of PMS packed in 1,219 jerrycans and 24 drums with the capacity of 25, 30, 60 and 200 litres intended to be smuggled into the adjacent country.
“One hundred and one pieces of raw donkey skin packed in seven sacks intended to be smuggled into the neighbouring country. The 101 raw donkey skins seized and presented here today were translated to the killing of 101 live donkeys by the smugglers.”
Bashir pointed out that donkeys are sources of transport, for agriculture and in some cases as companion and for specific activities like donkey rides.
He said that if the killing and illegal exportation of animals and other similar activities go unchecked, they would go into extinction.
He said the result recorded by the operatives of Adamawa and Taraba Area Command was through intelligence-driven operations, uncompromising efforts, coordinated border management and leveraging modern technology.
“To maintain this momentum, the command has repositioned all its operatives across the frontiers, not minding all the threats and intimidations such as assault and harassment received from the economic saboteurs witnessed in some social platforms,” he added.
He assured that his command would not relent in the fight against the economic saboteurs until they were suffocated, crippled and thrown out of the illicit business.
“This fight will be done within the confines of the law, and it needs the collective efforts of all concerned Nigerians,” he said.
