The Comptroller General of Customs’ (CGC’s) Strike Force Team unit of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it has intercepted 564 bales of textile materials falsely declared as machinery, foreign parboiled rice, footwears and foreign bags worth N895 million in one month.
 
While parading the seized items, the Coordinator, CGC’s Strike Force, Zone A, Deputy Compt. Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu, said it also raised a debit note on falsely-declared cargoes worth N490 million.
   
According to the coordinator, the unit generated N1.42 billion in the last four weeks from debit notes and anti-smuggling activities.
  
Giving a breakdown, the coordinator said other items seized are 1,252 bags of smuggled foreign rice, 564 bales of falsely declared Ankara materials, 637 bales of foot-wears and 30,256 pieces of foreign bags.
   
Shuaibu who, however, warned smugglers and importers of contrabands that the unit would not allow them to turn the country into a dumping ground. He appealed for honest declarations.
   
His words: “Importers and smugglers should not make Nigeria a dumping ground because these fabrics and footwears can be produced in Nigeria. We have textile industries employing huge numbers of Nigerians. If we keep on importing contrabands, how do we keep them in business?” he asked.
    
Speaking on debit notes raised in the last four weeks, he said: “Honest declaration is what we want. Importers and agents should come to terms with the reality that anything they are bringing in should conform to rules and regulations.  
 
“Everybody should be nationalistic in thinking so that we can defend and protect this country and contribute to the quality of the country so that Nigeria will be a better place for our children.”