The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’ Kaduna has intercepted trucks of expired and prohibited imported items worth N1.9 billion in Jigawa and Zamfara States from January 1 to February 16, 2024.
The Comptroller of the Unit, Dalha Wada Chedi, said 27 different items were seized within the period under review as a result of the contravention of several sections of the NCS Act 2023 and breach of extant Presidential directives on border closure.
Giving a breakdown of the seizures, Chedi said operatives of the unit, had on January 24, at about 2200hrs, intercepted one truck conveying 179 bags of tiger nuts (50Kg each) based on intelligence along Maigatari/Malamfatori/Birniwa axis of Jigawa State.
He also said the operatives, on February 3, arrested three trucks along Gumel-Kano road in Jigawa State following information shared by the intelligence network of the NCS-Headquarters, Abuja on the suspicion that they were conveying prohibited items.
According to him, 100 per cent physical examination was conducted at the premises of Kano/Jigawa command on the three trucks, which were found to contain 5,076 cartons of foreign soap, 703 bales of foreign second-hand clothing, 925 cartons of macaroni, 320 bales of foreign textiles and 12 Jumbo sacks of foreign used shoes.
Chedi further noted that two suspects were arrested and detained at the Kano/Jigawa command in connection with the seizures and have been granted administrative bail pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
Giving more breakdown of the seizures made, Chedi said on February 11, at about 2200hrs, the operatives of the unit acted on credible intelligence along Tsafe-Funtua Road in Zamfara State and intercepted one truck on the suspicion of improper importation.
He said further examination revealed that the truck was conveying 75 cartons of expired foreign jolly juice powder and eight sacks of foreign expired milk powder that were found to have expired since 2019, thus unfit for human consumption.
Chedi said the expired milk was concealed with sacks of dried hides and skin, adding that if the expired, unused and contaminated items were not intercepted by the operatives, they would cause havoc to society in general.
