ABUJA: Three suspected smugglers were yesterday arrested by the Oyo/Osun Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Nurudeen Owoiya, Adegboyega Kehinde and Saidi Tenibegiloju “concealed scores of bags of rice under live cows and planks”.
Two others were said to have escaped into a bush.
Also seized were three DAF trucks and one Mercedes truck registered as SH 81 XA, APP 529 XD, LSR 856 XG and FST 96 XR.
Concealed under the trucks, which were displayed at the Bodija, Ibadan Headquarters of the Command yesterday were hundreds of bags of rice, some of which were hidden under live cows and wooden planks.
The Acting Customs Area Controller, Abdulsalam Hassan, said: “The command has generated about N12 billion from January to October.
“A total of 154 seizures were made and duty paid value estimated at N380 million.
“One of the trucks was intercepted on the Isheyi-Ibadan Road on November 2.
The vehicle impounded loaded 393 (50kg) bags of rice and seven loose bags concealed with tubers of yam.
“On November 6, 400 (50kg) bags of rice were also impounded on the Saki-Ago Are Road.
“Another truck registered as LSR 856 XG was impounded on the Saki- Iseyin Road loaded with bags of rice and concealed with planks. The driver and the passenger are at large.
“The third truck was traced by the command from the Ilesah -Baruba axis and was impounded on the Saki-Oyo Road.
“It was loaded with rice and concealed with live cows. The number of the bags is yet to be ascertained.”
