The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Western Marine Command, an arm of the marine unit of the Service, said that within the period under review, the Comptroller Sarkin Kebbi led Anti-Smuggling Squad had stunned smugglers, made a total of five seizures in several locations of various products, declaring the sum of N15,441,557.3 (Fifteen million, four hundred and forty one thousand, five hundred and fifty seven naira, three kobo) in one month.
According to the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Sarkin Kebbi who disclosed this recently in Lagos said that under his watch he would ensure that Smugglers are totally tamed from carrying out their nefarious activities because his Officers and men are highly motivated and have been placed on patrol 24/7 at the waterways/creeks under its purview.
He said that with this new trend embedded in the Anti-Smuggling Squad, the following items were impounded which includes; 43,750 litres of petroleum products (PMS), more than a Tanker load of PMS, at Gbao/Yekeme Creeks with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N6,343,750.00. Also seized are 300 bags of foreign parboiled rice within Yekeme Creek axis with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N3,712,407.3 and 438 imported used tyres with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N2,102,400.00, therefore at Yekeme/Pashi creek, 348 cartons of soap and other soaps packed in 25 bags of sack were among the seized items with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N3,283,000.00 respectively.
He added that smugglers will no longer have free will to engage in their illegal activities, because they have increased the manning of every illegal route at the land borders and highways. To this effect, the unrelenting smugglers at sighting the Anti-Smuggling Team in several times jumped into the waters to escape arrest leaving their goods behind, “We have promised to smoke them out of business on the waters,” he assured.
Kebbi stated that the Western Marine Command (WMC) would soon be equipped logistically because the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Colonel Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) whose mandate is to discourage and eradicate illegal vices from the Nigerian state, has given an optimum assurance that the “Two Sea Going Vessels, Customs Pride as well as the Group of Nine” will become operational before the end of this year 2017, adding that, for effective operation, the vessels need  to be mounted with sophisticated guns to prevent pirates and other criminal elements from being hijacked.
The Controller also said that after the installation of the vessels guns, ammunitions and other communicating gadgets by the Nigerian Navy who have been contracted by the Federal Government to ensure that the vessels are operationally effective to combat crime upsurge on the waterways, before they are fully launched, admitting that, the Marine Officers who have been trained waiting to handle the vessels, who are looking forward to the commissioning in other to ease the inconveniencies even with the risk encountered chasing smugglers with more highly sophisticated weapons would be streamlined, he affirmed.
We hereby, appreciate the fatherly support of the CGC and his Management Team for providing the necessary tools and facilities through their thoughtful decisions therefore boosting the Anti-Smuggling Squad morale in the discharge of their duties, stressing that when the vessels are completely put in use, smugglers will no longer escape arrest,
“we promise to improve on our performances with what we have”.
Comptroller Kebbi however, refutes an allegation of a recent newspaper report that smugglers had been having a field day without being confronted by the said ill equipped Anti-Smuggling Team of Western Marine Command, revealing that since he took over leadership in the month of May, this year barely six months ago, he has been able to showcase all his seizures which is the first of its kind in the Command.
The report according to him, stated that the vessels purchased to combat smugglers have been abandoned without being placed in use with the huge amount spent by the Federal Government in purchasing them, while defending his position, said the reporter would have come to the Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), to reach me and be apprehended with viable information about the Command Anti-Smuggling activities, or better still, do a good investigation, advising that media correspondents should do enough investigative reports before going to press to feed the public, he stated.
He said that he is using this opportunity to call on various stakeholders in the Maritime Industry and the press to assist in the war against this vices who are bent on sabotaging the nation economy through their illicit activities, it would be more appreciating in giving vital information’s, he said.