Border Closure: Customs Arrests 1,401 Illegal Migrants, Seize Items Worth N12.5bn
The Nigeria Custom Service has said that as at January 5, 2021, it has arrested a total of 1,401 irregular migrants and made seizures worth N12.5bn.
The Service in a renewed effort to combat smuggling, irregular migration and other transnational organised crimes along the nation’s border coupled with the gradual reopening of the borders, launched the Operation Swift Response which has transformed into Nigeria’s Joint Border Patrol Team as part of a Tripartite Operation, comprising Benin, Niger and Nigeria.
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The NCS in a statement signed by Joseph Attah, Public Relations Officer for the Comptroller-General, noted that within a year and four months into the operation, the smuggling of illicit drugs and proliferation of small arms and light weapons which used to exacerbate violent extremism and terrorism in some parts of the country have been significantly curbed.
He said, “This is in addition to the quantum of seizures of prohibited items and numbers of arrested irregular migrants as the operation progresses.
“As at 5 January2021; 1,401 irregular migrants had been arrested while the total seizures were 159,506.7-(50kg) bags of parboiled foreignrice; 10,447 bags of NPK fertilizer used for making explosives; 1,974 Vehicles; 895 motorcycles, 18,690.3 Jerricans of Vegetable Oil, among other seized items.
“The total monetary value of the apprehended items is about ₦12,538,333,545.50.
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“The priority remains to keep our borders safe from any inimical activity that will compromise our national interests.”
According to the statement, with the re-opening of the borders for commercial activities, items such as parboiled rice, frozen chicken, illicit drugs, among others remain prohibited.
The statement said the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd) had assured that the joint patrols would be adequately administered.
He charged the operatives to display a high level of professionalism during the operation with their neighbouring counterparts.
