Kwara: Customs JBPT seizes ammunition of 550 cartridges
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Operatives of the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) North Central Zone, Sector 3 of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ilorin, Kwara state, have made a whopping seizure of large quantity of ammunition of 550 cartridges contained in
22 packs.
Briefing journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday, JBPT Coordinator, Comptroller Olugboyega Peters, said: “This landmark seizure was made around Benue axis of the Sector as a result of surveillance and determination of our operatives, adding that the driver of the bus and the suspect were also arrested.
“Based on intelligence report, the Sector intercepted a commercial bus around
Junction, Adikpo in Benue State heading to Taraba State. On searching the vehicle, two black sacks were found to contain pump action cartridges suspected to have been smuggled into the country.
“The ammunition, driver and the suspect were arrested immediately and brought to Sector 3 Headquarters, Ilorin, Kwara State. After preliminary investigation, as the law of jurisdiction demands, they were all handed over to Nigeria Police Force, Benue State for further investigation.”
“This epic seizure is very commendable at the backdrop of heightened insecurity in the country. Should 550 rounds of live ammunition escape into the country and fall into wrong hands, the consequences will be devastating.”
The Coordinator added that during the period under review, Sector 3 has made 49 seizures of various contraband with
Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N29, 273,300.
These, he said, include 1,251 Jeri cans of 25 liters each of PMS totalling 31,273liters, 751 Bags of foreign par boiled Rice, nine Used Vehicles, 550 live cartridges, earlier mentioned, seven bales of second clothing and one Motorcycles used as a means of conveyance of PMS and also used for
smuggling surveillance.
Comptroller Peters sounded a note of warning to those planning to use the Yuletide period to make money by smuggling prohibited items to have a rethink, saying “our officers
have continued to dominate the general area with aggressive patrols to deny
smugglers freedom of action.”
Urging the public to continue to
provide credible information to the Sectors operating within their localities, he assured Nigerians that the Joint Border Patrol Team; Sector 3 would do all it takes to ensure that smuggling suffocates and collapses in due course.
He said: “This can easily be achieved if host communities, youths, Community Leaders, Religious leaders and the local dwellers stop seeing smuggling as a means of livelihood and equally stop conspiring or assisting the perpetrators of this heinous crime called
smuggling.
“I want to appeal to border communities, most especially youths, to refrain from
smuggling and stop confronting or obstructing operatives from carrying out their legitimate duties.
“It is worth mentioning that the Federal Government has made significant strides to encourage local production of home grown rice through Anchor Borrower
Programme and Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, which members of the
public should take advantage of and key into it.”