Obstructing Customs from raiding shops, markets for smuggled rice, others, attracts 5yrs jail term as empowered by law – Makinde

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 seems to have cleared so many gray areas in the services being offered by men of the Nigerian Customs Service(NCS) as it has given clear cut powers to its officers to raid and confiscate any smuggled goods found anywhere across the country.

In the words of Bamidele Makinde, the comptroller of Customs, Ogun 1 Area Command, the Act empowers the officers to enforce Customs and Excise law, make seizures of smuggled goods, arrest and detain suspects in connection with smuggling activities.

Various sections and subsections of the Act he said empowers Customs officers to patrol and raid smuggled goods anywhere they are found contrary to condemnation and outcry that usually trail the invasion of shops and markets across the country by the Customs officers.

Addressing journalists shortly after receiving the acting Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, at the Nigeria- Republic International border at Idi-Iroko, Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, Makinde warned any members of the public and smugglers who might want to obstruct, hinder and assault the Customs officers on duty to desist as such will attract a fine of N5 Million, Imprisonment for 5 years, or both.

“The Ogun Customs Area Command wishes to enlighten the general public that the Customs activities in Ogun State and Nigeria, conform to the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

“Various sections and subsections of the Act empower Customs’ operatives to carry out patrol freely in the exercise of their duties in enforcing Customs and Excise Laws, making seizures/detention, and arrest of suspects in connection with smuggling activities.

“The Act also prescribes various punishments on trade-related matters. Examples of such are obstruction of officers, hindrance, molestation or assaults on officers while on lawful duty as well as preventing seizure of items, or arrest of a suspect which attracts a fine of N5,000,000.00, imprisonment for 5 years or both”, he warned.

On the operations and activities of Ogun 1 Area Command of Customs, the controller stated that the Command seized 2,113 (50kg) bags of smuggled rice, 21 units of vehicles (means of conveyance and Tokunbo), 17,950 litres of PMS and 1,416 pieces of used tyres among others, at different locations in Ogun State in July, with the duty paid value of N106,757,592.00.