Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
A N60. 7million worth intercepted Toyota Land Cruiser SUV, in Suleija, Niger State, by the Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) which is allegedly owned by a member of the Federal House of Representatives is now being kept, in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The vehicle, with the registration number KUJ 570 MB was intercepted by the specual operations arm of the Customs Service since November, 2022 waiting for the National Assembly member to come foreward with valid papers for collection which he is yet to do.
Coordinator of the Custom’s North Central Zone Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT Sector 3), Ag. Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Olugboyega Peters made this known while briefing newsmen in Ilorin to review the Zone’s activities from January to December, 2022 in the Kwara State capital.
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According to him, operatives deployed to Suleija axis of Niger State of the Service on 23rd November, 2022
who were on routine patrol intercepted the Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep adding that the operatives requested for the vehicle Customs documents from the occupants of the vehicle which they could produce.
The two occupants who were heading towards Kaduna he said were not only unable to produce any document but also strangely, disembarked from the vehicle pretending to be making a call to the owner and suddenly took to their heels, ran into the bush, abandoning the vehicle which ignited the operatives’ strong suspicions.
According to him, Nigeria Custom Service operates under the powers it draws from Custom and Excise Management Act Cap 645 LFN 2004 CEMA as amended allowing custom to have Power of Police officers to search, forfeiture of goods improperly imported items while tge Acts section 158 empowers it to patrol freely and Section 167 powers Customs to detain, seize and disallow condemned goods as well as other provisions as guaranteed by the Act
It was under these powers according to ACG Peters that the operstives moved on to search the abandoned SUV and found the complimentary card bearing details of Hon. Chidi Nwoka, Federal House of Representatives member from River State in the car.
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“The said Honorable member was subsequently contacted and officers were confronted with shocking news that the vehicle in question was snatched few hours earlier from his driver at gun point around Gwarimpa axis of Abuja.
“Gentlemen of the press, I want to assure you that once the customs duty of the said vehicle is produced by the owner and confirmed to be genuine, the sector will hand over the vehicle to Nigeria Police Force for further investigations and theft clarification”, the Custom boss added.
Meanwhile, he disclosed that during the period under review, the Sector 3 has intercepted a total of three (3) stolen vehicles. Namely Lexus RX 350 without number plate sized around Benue axis, Toyota Yaris with Registration Number BEN-59-EZ apprehended around Lokoja Axis of the Sector and the Toyota Land Cruiser jeep intercepted at Suleja axis.
“It is worthy of note that Sector 3 during the period, successfully recorded 187 seizures with a duty paid value of Three Hundred and two Million five Hundred and ninety Thousand two Hundred and fifty-two Naira (N 302, 590, 252.00)”, he gladly reported.
The breakdown of the seized goods included: 2,052 Bags of Foreign Parboiled Rice (50 kg each) an average of 4 trailer load, 4,598 liters of PMS (Petrol), 40 drums of 800 liters of Diesel, 28 units of used Vehicles, 16 units of Motorcycle (Means of Conveyance), 11 kegs of Vegetable oil (25 liters each) and102 bales of Secondhand clothing.
Other were 19 Sacks of 2,166 Pairs of Used Shoes, 427 Wraps of Cannabis sativa, 4 packet of Tramadol (200 pieces each) of 120mg, 90 Pieces of Used tyres and 39 cartons of tomato paste.
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He however said in line with the extant laws, most of the inflammable products have been auctioned to the public with the amount generated as fees remitted to government coffers.
Also, Comptroller Olugboyega Peters disclosed that the Custom’s Sector 3 at different times seized 109, 350 liters of PMS in Jerri cans which are equivalent to over three tanker loads at 33,000 liters of petroleum per tanker.
“However, on a sad note, on Friday 21st October, 2022, the Sector 3 operatives on information patrol were attacked by a group of hoodlums who laid ambush and pelted them with stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks, charms, guns and other dangerous items at Igboho town of Orelope Local Government of Oyo State.
“The officers were coming to Headquarters with t seized rice and PMS at Sinau-Kenu Road in Baruten LGA of Kwara State. One of our officers ASCI Saheed Aweda succumbed to the cold hands of death (may his gentle soul rest in peace) while three (3) officers sustained life threatening injuries and later recovered after a long stay at hospital.
“This trend of unprovoked attacks by faceless cowards whose intention is to instill fear in the minds of law enforcement operatives shall not go unpunished. Neither will it dampen the resolve of our officers and men from carrying out their statutory duties” he bemourned and pledged comitment to duty even in the face of the ugly incident.