In keeping up to its core mandate in the area of revenue generation and suppression of smuggling activities, the Oyo/Osun Customs Command has made a seizure of One Hundred and One (101) drums of 200litres each and Six Hundred and Nine (609) kegs of 25litres each of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) totaling Thirty Five Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty Five litres (35,425 litres) in attempts to smuggle them out of the country,
This was made known on Thursday by the newly appointed Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller BA Jaiyeoba during his maiden press briefing in Ibadan.
Comptroller Jaiyeoba disclosed that despite the current fuel scarcity (PMS) in the country, some unpatriotic Nigerians attempted to smuggle these products out of the country.
Jaiyeoba who assumed office as the CAC in Oyo/ Osun Command on Thursday 17th February, 2022 said that the support given by the CGC Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and his management team by way of provisions of the needed equipment, especially operational vehicles, to the command coupled with the commands reinvigorated anti-smuggling operation led to the seizure.
He hinted that within three weeks of his assumption of office the Command has made 26 seizures and one detention in connection to the seizures.
He listed the seizures to include but not limited to, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Foreign Parboiled Rice, Used Tyres and Secondhand Clothing with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Thirty-Four Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty-One Thousand Naira only (34,851,000.00) only.
He disclosed that at the end of February 2022, the Command has collected the sum of Eight Billion, Sixty-Nine Million, Four Hundred and Ninety-Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-Nine Naira, Four Kobo (8,069,497,949.04) only in revenue generation.
The Command boss reiterate that Oyo/Osun the Command under his watch would maintain zero tolerance for smuggling bearing in mind its negative implication on the economic growth and development of the country,
In his words “We shall not relent in our efforts to fight smuggling to standstill. We are daily improving on our intelligence gathering method and deploying our efforts, as well as available logistics in accordance with all extant laws as enshrined in the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap C45, LFN 2004 as amended, to ensure the States of Oyo and Osun are uncomfortable for all economic saboteurs. We therefore use this opportunity to warn those with nefarious activities to stay clear of Oyo/Osun Command as there shall be no safe haven for them.
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“Permit me to state that the achievements showcased here today was made possible through timely sharing of credible intelligence and effective collaboration/synergy between the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), Federal Operations Unit Zone A, CGC Strike Force Team, Joint Border Patrol Team and especially the resilience and vigilance of officers and men of Oyo/Osun Command.
“The collaborative efforts of Sister Agencies such as the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Oyo State Operation Burst and Amotekun Corps are also very much appreciated.
“I cannot close this address without acknowledging the cooperation of the Traditional rulers, Local Government Chairmen, Youth and Community leaders and the good people of Oyo and Osun States who have continue to provide peaceful and enabling environment for our officers and men to carry out their statutory duties” Comptroller Jaiyeoba quipped.
