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* Generates Over N3bn Revenue By Prince Benson
The Coordinator, Customs Strike Force Zone ‘A’, DC Ahmadu Shuaibu, and his men are given smugglers sabotaging the nation’s economy, a tough time as they count their losses.
The team makes massive seizures of Donkey Hides/skin, unprocessed woods and other items worth over NN643.7million in Duty Paid Value (DPV).
In their determination to save the nation’s economy, the team also intercepted 5 x 20ft containers of unprocessed logs of wood, 2x40ft (12,500 pieces) containers of donkey hides and skin. Also, 6 x 40ft and 1 x 20ft ( 3,891 sacks) containers of charcoal, 229 sacks of shoes, 167 pieces of used tyres and one unit of Mazda bus, with a cumulative duty paid value of N643,727,837.00.
It is on record that just after one month, DC Shuaibu and his men intercepted Pangolin Scales and Elephant Tusks worth over N22.3 billion, and arrested foreign nationals behind the crime.
Even as the Strike Force is more of an enforcement Unit, the team generated a huge sum of over N3 billion for the Federal Government
Addressing journalists during a press conference, Deputy Comptroller Ahmadu Shuaibu, explained that the N3 billion was realised from the issuance of Demand Notices. This, he said was achieved through meticulous documentary checks by the ICT component,
for the period he took over the leadership of the team.
Explaining further on the massive seizures, DC Shuaibu, stressed that the anti-smuggling operations, which led to these feats were carried out mainly through Intelligence.
Speaking further he said.
“Our action is to inflict serious financial losses on economic saboteurs. We didn’t record any casualties because our operations are intelligence-driven.
We are using credible intelligence to defeat smugglers.
“We are vigilant and totally committed to the anti-smuggling operations. Since smugglers had resolved to continue sabotaging our economy, our team is alert and will keep ahead of them by seizing their wares. If they keep smuggling, we will keep making more seizures.”
Speaking further, the Strike Force Coordinator shows his displeasure at the criminal activities of wood smugglers in the country. He emphasised that wood smuggling is detrimental to the economic atmosphere.
His words: “In reality, the unpatriotic attitude of wood smugglers constitutes serious hazards to our economic environment, leading to deforestation and desertification”
He went on.
“The export prohibition guideline is in tandem with government policies for the protection of endangered species, protection of the local economy, to promote National Forest Policy approved by the Federal Executive Council. The policy aims at greatly assisting the nation’s sustainable management of its vast forest resources against deforestation.”
He disclosed that most of the unprocessed woods were brought in from the Taraba area, while some were already on their way to Apapa seaport for export.
He said his team is giving more attention to exportation, to curb illegal exports capable of destroying the nation’s economy.
