ABUJA: The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Alli (rtd) has been urged to work with other security agencies in the country to curtail the activities of smugglers during the Yuletide season.
The Poultry and Livestock Farmers Association of Nigeria (POLFAN), Lagos Chapter, yesterday made the call to check the security, economic and health challenges that come with the inimical activities of the smugglers.
The group alleged that smugglers are currently taking advantage of the Christmas rush to bring in and distribute across the country, several tons of frozen poultry products.
Speaking, Fatiu Ajero, called on the Alli to save the country from experiencing what he called lethal Christmas and New Year season.
Ajero said: “We are crying out because following the determined onslaught of the Lagos Customs Command in recent times, the smugglers lay low for a while. But now, they are on Christmas rampage. They move several tons of smuggled deadly frozen chicken and turkey, through several porous points in Ogun State to burst at Sagamu and Ore, thereby completely avoiding Customs personnel from Lagos area.
”Our call is imperative because recently, NAFDAC DG, Dr. Paul Orhii, alerted Nigerians on the dangers of consuming imported poultry products and warned that such meat contained high level of metals and other killer-substances that could cause dangerous diseases, such as nasal cancer, neurotoxicity, skin disorders and cardiovascular diseases, among others.”
Buttressing Ajero’s submission, the secretary, Alex Igwe, said: “Intelligence report have shown that some a particular area command of the NCS is collaborating with the hoodlums to move tons of the contraband goods, in fleets of convoys at night and on weekends, to various states in the South East and South South. As we speak, it is still business at its highest peak.
”As an association, we again urge the hardworking Comptroller-General of Customs to keep an eagle eye on the command. We had requested that the CG should collaborate with major GSM service providers in the country to provide memorable toll-free lines for the general public to call in and alert both the national headquarters and subsidiary commands of any smuggling deals so they can swoop upon them on point.“
