The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) under the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) has said it intercepted no fewer than 391,631 contraband goods smuggled into the country through South-south and South-east states’ boarders between September 2020, and February 2021.
The Sector Coordinator 1 in charge of South-South and South-East Zone, Comptroller Shehu Abubakar made the disclosure in a statement signed and made available to Blueprint on Friday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.
The Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) comprises Nigeria Customs Service, Army Immigration Service, Airforce, DSS and the Nigeria Police Force.
The joint border drill also known as operation swift response, which was launched in August 2019 and coordinated by the office of the national security Adviser (ONSA), has now transformed into Nigeria’s Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) as part of a tripartite Operation, comprising Benin, Niger, and Nigeria.
Abubakar revealed that through the operation,66 suspected smugglers were arrested and 51 irregular migrants were also detained.
He maintained that all the seizures including arrests were in line with the rules of engagement as enshrined in the section 147 and 151 of customs and excise management act cap. C45 LFN 2004.
The Comptroller said the confiscated items were all deposited in the respective government designated warehouses across the zone.
Abubakar said that the zone under his leadership carried out series of coordinated intelligence and security operations which include; raiding of suspected shops, warehouses, stop and search operations, interception, of irregular migrants and contraband among others.
The Comptroller warned smugglers to desist from such illicit transactions or be ready to face the law, urging that importers and exporters in the zone should exploit Mfum land border in Cross River state which was reopened in December 2020.
