The
Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, Mbo local government
area, has handed over seven suspected smugglers to the Eastern Marine
Command ,Nigeria Customs Service in Akwa Ibom State.
The Navy also handed over 470 bags of contraband rice on two different arrests.
Five
of the seven suspects and their wooden boat were intercepted by
officials of the Navy on routine patrol and 308 bags of 50kg rice found
with them, while the two suspects were intercepted with 162 bags of 50kg
rice, said to be brought in from the Republic of Cameroon.
Speaking
during the handing over of the suspects, and recovered items to the
Nigeria Customs Service in Ibaka, Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday, the
Commanding Officer, FOB, Captain Toritseju Vincent, said the Navy is
committed to rid the area of illegal activities on the water ways.
His
words “On behalf of the Commanding Officer of Eastern Naval Command, I
hand over these five suspects who were arrested on the 22nd of April
2019, with 308 bags of smuggled rice which we suspect were smuggled in
from Cameroon
“I also hand over a medium sized wooden boat laden with
162 bags of rice arrested near Mbo river by Oron, Calabar channel to
the Nigeria Customs Service.
“The wooden boat along with its two crew
was arrested at 0730 on Sunday, 21 April 2019 during a routine patrol
by the Navy gunboats,” he said.
Taking delivery of the suspects and
bags of rice from the Navy, the Zonal Coordinator, Nigeria Customs
Service (NCS), Assistant Comptroller, Kolade Iloyode said “Your actions
have demonstrated your commitment to the Nigerian nation and the
security of our water ways.
He commended the Navy for the support, adding that the NCS would work hard on land to curb smuggling activities.
Represented
by Kabir Ogah, Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Comptroller General of
Customs Strike Force (CGC), Zone C, Akwa Ibom State, said, “On behalf
of the Zonal Commander, Assistant Comptroller, Kolade Iloyode, and the
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in general, we wish to commend all your
efforts in combating smuggling in our water ways.”
“This will
encourage us on the land to do more and we commemorate the efforts you
have been putting up for us. We thank you so much and we also urge you
to continue with the good work for nation building”.
One of the
suspects, Emmanuel Bassey from Udung Uko local government area, Akwa
Ibom State, said though he regreted his involvement in smuggling the
contraband rice, he was compelled into the business just to survive.
Bassey
who was manning one of the seized wooden boats said he sawed wood in
Cameroon for two years but had to return back home because he was
harassed by hoodlums while plying his trade in Cameroon.
“I went to
Cameroon to bring rice back to Nigeria but on my way back, I was
arrested by the Navy. I used to saw wood before now; this is my first
time in this trade.
” I was promised N5,000 but now, I regret my involvement in smuggling and promise not to do it again,” he said