BUSINESS: custom boss in smugglers forest

Customs boss in smugglers forest
on september 21, 2014 at 8:49 am in business
Days after the Federal Government unfolded a
policy to stop rice importation into Nigeria in the
next four years, the tempo of rice smuggling in the
country has taken a different dimension.
This was evident in the extra-ordinary seizure
made, as officers of Oyo/Osun Command of
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) cracked down on
smugglers in a convoy of 40 assorted vehicles
inside Agbaja forest, off Igbeti axis of Oyo State.
The smugglers, fully armed with their own
escorts, on sensing the superiority of Customs
operatives, abandoned their vehicles along with
the items and escaped into the forest.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Oyo/Osun
Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr.
Oteri Richard, in front leading other Customs
officers into Agbaja forest, during inspection of
the seizures of 40 vehicles loaded with rice,
intercepted in the forest by his Command.
Though the Command has recorded massive
seizures of rice since last year at various
operations, the situation surrounding this
particular seizure was astonishing and it
attracted the attention of top military personnel,
Nigeria Police and other security agencies in Oyo
State.
The operation was carried out by 3.30am in a
thick forest, a terrain where nobody would ever
imagine such activity could take place. The forest
is over four hours drive from Ibadan. Inside the
bush were few houses like ancient pyramid
structures. A part of the area has a massive
volcanic rock similar to the popular Olumo Rock
in Abeokuta.
Gaining access to the forest require driving
through a narrow isolated bush path with long
trees for a distance of over 600kilometers.
Sunday Vanguard at the scene of crime in Agbaja
forest during official inspection of the items,
gathered that Customs officers, after weeks of
due diligence and effective surveillance,
discovered the place to be an illegal route for
smuggling.
It was also observed that smugglers had
perfected the act of re-fabricating vehicles in
such a manner that one car meant for just four
persons could carry as much as 50kg bags of rice
with all the inner seats completely removed. Also,
the shock absorbers were re-fabricated while the
top of vehicles were well padded and re-built with
extra-iron carriers.
The 11 hours assignment in Agbaja forest was led
by the fearless Customs Area Controller (CAC) of
the Command, Mr. Oteri Richard, who drove in a
white Toyota Hilux ahead of journalists into the
forest. Even the female Public Relations Officer
(PRO) of the Command, Ijeoma Nwala, whose
primary duty involves administration, was not left
out of the task, as she walked side by side the
Customs Controller, leading the way into the
forest.
Speaking, the CAC said, “The Command has again
recorded another significant breakthrough over
those saboteurs who do not have the interest of
our economy at heart. It is worrisome that some
Nigerians remain unrepentant even as they
continue to lose. Not even government’s visible
efforts in transforming agriculture, especially in
the area of rice production have touched their
conscience to stop rice smuggling.
Our resolve to deal with this remains unshaken,
more so that the current management has
boosted our capacity by deliberate re-training and
re-tooling. The seizures you see here were
intercepted by combined anti-smuggling teams of
NCS after weeks of effective monitoring and
intelligence driven efforts. The quantity of the rice
is estimated at over 2.000 bags and a Duty Paid
Value (DPV) of about N20million”.
He went on, “Already the Comptroller General of
Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi, has directed
thorough investigation into the issue, with a view
to prosecuting those who would be found
connected to this act of illegality and economic
sabotage. The Command remains poised to
keeping its resolve to arrest these saboteurs and
make them face the full weight of the law.”
“In the face of Dikko’s zero tolerance for rice
smuggling through the borders, the Service has
continued to intensify efforts at border policing to
keep the recalcitrant unpatriotic Nigerians off this
unwholesome business. It is worthy of note to
recollect that the Command made a similar
seizure of 21 assorted vehicles also loaded with
rice early last month.
We would continue to engage in aggressive patrol
activities in all areas of the Command to ensure
effective blockage of the entry of illicit goods. We
sincerely appreciate the support of Nigerian Army,
Policy, Civil Defence, the Directorate of States
Security Services and other security agencies in
the State. The public should see the synergy and
cooperation with these government agencies as
our resolve to stamp out smuggling.”
On if the recent government policy on rice
production has any kind of multiplier effect on
duty payment for rice, he said, “The rice policy is
a good initiative and must be supported. The
intention of government is not just to boost food
production in the country, but to enhance growth
in agricultural sector, create jobs for the citizens,
encourage local farmers and industrial
development. We should support government
efforts in expanding agriculture. It is a matter of
looking inward to build our nation, supporting our
economy to thrive and appreciating what we have
as a country, instead of smuggling contra-band
items to the detriment of our local industries and
the entire economy. For unrepentant smugglers
who do not want to desist and allow sanity in our
economic environment, prosecution waits them”.
Also, a security operative, who spoke with Sunday
Vanguard on the condition of anonymity in the
forest, said the ingenuity of the Customs in
uncovering such a crime was laudable. “This area
is within Olorunsogbo local government, and could
take up to seven hours drive to get to the next
community from Oyo town. Even many people in
Ibadan do not know that a place like Agbaja
forest exists in Oyo State. The Customs officers
demonstrated selfless service, even putting their
lives on the line of duty to carry out that
operation in such a dangerous terrain. For
instance, some of the officers you see here have
been in the forest for days mapping out strategies
for the operation to be carried out successfully”,
he stated.

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