Border Closure: FG Confiscates Items Worth N11.03bn In One Year—Customs

…1,243 Illegal Immigrants, 622 Suspected Smugglers Arrested

…Says Terrorists, Criminals Now Find It Difficult To Acquire Arms And Ammunition

Since the commencement of the partial border closure exercise in August last year, the total monetary value of seizures recorded by the Nigeria Customs Service has been estimated at N11.03bn

The Public Relations Officer, NCS, Mr Joseph Attah, confirmed the figure in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The Federal Government had in August last year closed its borders to neighboring countries in an exercise code-named operation Exercise Swift Response.

The exercise is currently being coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The action which had resulted into joint border operations by a combined team of security agencies had been greeted by mixed reactions from stakeholders.

Twelve months into the exercise, Attah said the operation has continued to yield positive results as it had saved the country huge resources and enhanced national security.

The statement said for instance that the numbers of seizures and arrests from the four sectors of the North-West, North-Central, South-West, and South-South geopolitical zones had continued to increase.

He said as of August 31, this year, 1,243, irregular immigrants and 622 suspected smugglers have been arrested, while seizures include 134,042 bags of parboiled foreign rice; 9,600 bags of NPK fertilizer; and 1,791 vehicles.

Also confiscated are 3,565,461.9 litres of PMS; 5,007 drums filled with PMS; 68,436.3 Jerricans of PMS; 130 engine boats; 847 motorcycles; 17,212.6 Jerricans of vegetable oil; 813 packs of Tramadol; 274 bags of cannabis; among other items.

He put the total estimated monetary value of the seizures at N11.03bn 

Attah said the current administration, through the border closure took a definitive step to put Nigeria on the path of food sufficiency, stem the flow of illicit arms into the country and improve national security.

He said, “The joint border security exercise, has no doubt saved the country huge resources and enhanced national security.

“For instance, the smuggling of drugs and proliferation of small arms and light weapons which are drivers to terrorism and other forms of criminalities in the country have been considerably curtailed.

 
“The exercise has also made it more difficult for terrorists and other criminals to acquire arms and ammunition, while criminal elements find it challenging to make their way into the country through the land and maritime borders.

“This has thus contributed to the reduction in cases of transnational organized crimes.”

The Customs PRO explained that the exercise has also boosted production of agricultural products, especially local rice, tomatoes, maize, and poultry among others.

This, he stated, has stimulated the growth of the agricultural sector and the economy.

He added, “Today, Nigeria is fast attaining self-sufficiency in rice production, as the border drill has drastically reduced rice smuggling into the country and catalyzed rice production by farmers across the country, while millions of direct and indirect jobs have been created.

“Huge amount in foreign exchange, that previously went into rice importation saved. The rice farmers in the country are now venturing beyond rice cultivation to milling, packaging and marketing.

 
“Nigeria remains committed to the ongoing diplomatic engagements to finding lasting solutions to the concerns that necessitated the partial border closure.”

He further stated that the priority for now is to keep the borders safe from any inimical activity that would compromise national interests and by extension national security.

The Service in the statement appealed to Nigerians to continue their support for the ongoing efforts towards making the nation better secured and economically viable.