From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Nigeria Customs Service, Kebbi Area Command, has intercepted 150 drums of Petrol and 389 KG of Cannabis Sativa worth N21,180,000.00 within one week of the year 2022.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Command, DSC Nasiru Manga, in a statement provided to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, explained that the development was due to the commands’ continued onslaught on smugglers in Kebbi State.
Manga stated that the seizures were recorded at two separate locations within the State based on credible intelligence.
According to him, ‘the operatives of the Command while on information patrol on Wednesday, 5th January 2022 along Kyangakwai-Kamba Road, intercepted one Blue Carina E with Registration Number UBT 674 MQ and Chassis Number SB1645BK10E009725 loaded with Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as Indian hemp.
‘Physical examination of the vehicle revealed that it was loaded with three hundred and eighty-nine (389) parcels (laptop size) of 1KG each of cannabis sativa valued at fifteen million, five hundred and sixty thousand naira (15,560,000.00).
‘Similarly, based on credible intelligence, officers and men of Kebbi Area Command on Friday night, 7th January 2022, were able to scuttle the activities of daredevil smugglers of premium motor spirit (PMS) at Lowcoast waterway in Yauri and consequently evacuated one hundred and fifty (150) drums equivalent to 30,000 litres of PMS, which were meant to be smuggled out of the country through waterways valued at four million, eight hundred and sixty thousand (4,860,000.00) naira.’
While commenting on the development, the Kebbi state Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Hafiz Kalla lamented over the attitude of a few unscrupulous elements who take advantage of the large amount of money paid by the government as a subsidy to Nigerians and diverting the product for their selfish reasons, thereby sabotaging government effort.
Kalla reiterated the command stand of not allowing smugglers a breathing space, stressing that his men would not relent in their effort to frustrate all the activities of economic saboteurs in his area of coverage.