By Kunle SHONUGA
The Borno-Yobe Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Wednesday said it seized a truck conveying 300 bags of imported rice in Borno.
TBI Africa said that the Zonal Controller of the Command, Abdullahi Biu, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Maiduguri.
Biu disclosed that the truck was intercepted by men of the command along Bama-Banki Road on March 5, following intelligence report that it was conveying imported rice concealed with animal feeds and charcoals.
He added that the driver was arrested while trying to escape.
The commander listed other seized items to include; smoked fish, soap, rice, maize, sesame seeds and soya beans, noting that the items were used for to conceal the rice.
Biu also said that that the command recorded significant progress in securing the land borders in spite Boko Haram insurgency in the region.
“The command generated more than N136 million representing 99.1 per cent of the 2018 revenue target, in spite of Boko Haram insurgency.
“We also recorded nine seizures with cumulative duty paid value of N283 million within the period, only three of the 15 border posts were operating on skeletal, ” he said.
He, however, said that activities of insurgents on trades, businesses and security agencies in Gamboru-Banki and Gaidam axis, had negatively affected revenue of the command.
Biu said that the ban imposed on importation of dry fish and livestock also led to the drop in revenue.
He said that the command was working in collaboration with the military, police, other security agencies and trade associations to secure the borders and improve revenue.
