Customs Intercept Textiles, Rice Worth N1.42bn In Lagos

The Comptroller General of Customs’ Strike Force Team on Wednesday said it has intercepted 564 bales of textiles materials falsely declared as machinery, foreign parboiled rice, footwears and foreign bags worth N895m.

Speaking while unveiling the seizure, the Co-ordinator, CGC’s Strike Force, Zone A, Deputy Comptroller, Ahmadu Shuaibu, said it also raised a debit note on falsely declared cargoes worth N490m.

According to the coordinator, the unit generated a N1.42bn in the last four weeks from debit note and anti-smuggling activities.

Giving a breakdown of the seizure, the coordinator said other items seized included 1,252 bags of smuggled foreign rice, 564 bales of falsely declared ankara materials, 637 bales of footwears and 30,256 pieces of foreign bags.

Shuaibu who warned smugglers and importers of contrabands that the unit would not allow them to turn the country into a dumping ground, appealed to importers to make honest declarations always.

He said, “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 number of Nigerians. If we keep on importing contrabands, then how do we want them to remain in business?”

He added, “These are what can be produced in Nigeria. We have hides and skin factories all around the country.

“In Aba, we have young boys doing very well producing footwears, bags that the Nigerian Army patronise them. So why do we need to import or smuggle what we can produce locally?”

Shuaibu encouraged smugglers to have a change of heart for the betterment of the country and contribute their quota to ensure that the restiveness of the youth was reduced.