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Customs engage smugglers in shooting spree at Seme, recovers 55 vehicles

By Odita Sunday
08 November 2019   |   3:27 am
Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, yesterday engaged smugglers of Cars in a shooting spree. According to authorities at the command, at the end of the operation, over 55 vehicles allegedly being smuggled into the country from the Benin Republic were intercepted and recovered.

Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, yesterday engaged smugglers of Cars in a shooting spree.

According to authorities at the command, at the end of the operation, over 55 vehicles allegedly being smuggled into the country from the Benin Republic were intercepted and recovered.

Spokesman of the command, Hussein Abdulahi who made this disclosure also dismissed the allegation of bribery against some officers of the command.

News of gratification against some officers had gone viral on social media. The online platform had alleged that the officers collect money to allow smuggled cargoes into the country.

Hussein, however, told newsmen the seizures were made between two months.

He said, “accordingly, since the inception of the border drill exercise on August 20, 2019, to date, the command recorded tremendous achievement in its anti-smuggling operations. The command within the period of the exercise intercepted 55 fairly used smuggled vehicles with DPV values worth millions of naira.

He, however, debunked allegations of graft even as he urged Nigerians with tangible evidence of such to avail the command or the service with it.

“The attention of Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has been drawn to a false narrative targeted to rubbish the Command and Nigeria Customs Service by one Abubakar A Aliyu on his tweeter handle, dated November 2, 2019 at about 8:22 pm precisely.

“He alleged that officers are collecting money in order to allow passage of fairly used vehicles into the country despite the border drill.

“The Command’s preliminary investigation disclosed that there is no iota of truth on what was alleged. Therefore, the report is not only baseless but also unfounded. However, the Command is calling on the public, especially social media users to do proper investigations before throwing such serious allegations to media in order not to dampen the morale of officers that are working hard in the discharge of their duty.

“We equally advise not only the likes of Abubakar A Aliyu but the public with tangible evidence that can assist the Command to tackle some recalcitrant officers should please come forward for the benefit of all”.

“In conclusion, it may interest the public to be aware that, the management of the Nigeria Customs Service, has introduced some palliative measures to help those whose vehicles are impounded and detained, or those that have vehicles without duty, and are willing to pay duty should approach the nearest federal operations unit to the pay their duty.”

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