Katsina: The Nigerian Customs Service, Katsina State Command has intercepted banned goods comprising rice, vegetable oil and drugs worth over N500 million, deputy comptroller general in-charge of enforcement, Mr. Saka Yunusa Alao, has said.
Mr. Alao, who made the disclosure yesterday in Katsina during an inspection tour to the state, said two trailers loaded with various restricted drugs, one trailer of vegetable oil, 2, 680 bags of foreign rice, 60 used cars and 25 motorcycles used for smuggling rice were the items intercepted by Customs in the state.
Alao reiterated the service determination to rid the state of smuggling, saying, “There will be no hidden place for smugglers in Katsina. We will continue to pursue them to the last point because it is duty bound on Customs to stop importation of banned goods. We will protect our borders”.
He said the activities of smugglers are contributing greatly to the increasing rates of unemployment among youths, hence, the need for the Customs officers and men to discourage the trend.
The deputy comptroller general said he was in Katsina to interact with officers and men of the service with a view to sensitizing them on the current crusade against smuggling of banned commodities.