Nigerian Customs Operatives Again Set To Smuggle Over 5000 Vehicles Containing Rice, Turkey, Other Illicit Items Into Lagos From Seme Border – Soyombo
Earlier Customs in a statement on its Facebook page wrote, “FOU ‘A’ Customs Pledges Tougher Anti-Smuggling Measures, Uncovers Donkey Skin Worth N4.24B.”
Nigeria’s investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, has raised the alarm, alleging another round of rice smuggling in over 5000 vehicles by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) officers in collusion with notorious smugglers.
Soyombo, who stated this on his verified social media account on Thursday, said that some top Customs officers had concluded plans to start smuggling the rice on Thursday night from the Seme border in Badagry into Lagos State.
He said this was despite the Nigerian Customs’ pledge on “adopting tougher measures” to combat smuggling.
Soyombo wrote, “Earlier today, you sold a dummy to the public on your social media platforms by pledging “tougher anti-smuggling measures”. This you did despite knowing your men had sanctioned the resumption of smuggling in Badagry, starting tonight.
“As I write this, Ope Oloko, the foot soldier of ‘The Smuggler’, is poised to move more than 5000 vehicles containing rice, turkey and other illicit items into Lagos from the Seme border in Badagry.
“To resume smuggling in 2025, Ope Oloko has already secured the nod of Kola Oladeji, Controller, Federal Operations Unit Zone A; Kayode Rasheed Lolade, Controller, Seme Command; Sejiro Olamilekan Ogungbe James, the king of Kweme kingdom; and Oyekan Adekanmi Ilufemiloye Ajose Posii III, the king of Apa Kingdom.
“Nobody is asking Customs not to smuggle or collude with smugglers, but you’re talking while eating — that’s bad table manners!”
Earlier Customs in a statement on its Facebook page wrote, “FOU ‘A’ Customs Pledges Tougher Anti-Smuggling Measures, Uncovers Donkey Skin Worth N4.24B.”
The statement had added, “The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, has pledged to adopt tougher measures to combat smuggling.
Good evening, @CustomsNG.
Earlier today, you sold a dummy to the public on your social media platforms by pledging “tougher anti-smuggling measures”. This you did despite knowing your men had sanctioned the resumption of smuggling in Badagry, starting tonight.
As I write this,…
— ‘Fisayo Soyombo (@fisayosoyombo) February 6, 2025
“The unit head, Comptroller Kola Oladeji, made the commitment on Tuesday, 4 February 2025, during a media briefing on the activities of FOU Zone ‘A’ between 25 December 2024 and 4 February 2025.”
The statement noted that during the briefing, Oladeji warned unscrupulous and unpatriotic individuals to desist from all smuggling acts and engage in legitimate trade in 2025.
He was quoted as saying, “Our ongoing ‘Swift Sting Operation’ will leave no room for economic sabotage in the New Year.
“As for legitimate importers, traders and Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs), our doors are open for consultation and collaboration as we intend to re-engineer our trade facilitation systems in line with the Federal Government policy on ease of doing business.”
https://twitter.com/CustomsNG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
