The Federal Operations Unit of the Nigerian Customs Service in Zone B Kaduna said that in just one month, it had stopped a shipment of military uniforms and other items with a duty-paid value of N628 million.
Musa Jalo, the area controller for the zone, revealed this in a statement on Thursday.
According to Jalo, the military uniforms that was detained between March and April 2023 was headed from the Niger Republic to Nigeria.
He added that the zone conducted 188 seizures of 17 distinct contrabands at various sites around the zone during the period under consideration.
He said, “Our operatives, while on a stop-and-search operation, intercepted one Volkswagen Golf driven by a Nigerien citizen along Jibia-Katsina Road.
“During the operation, the officers observed and identified a sack in the vehicle that was later opened, and assorted military camouflage shirts, trousers, and t-shirts were found.”
After more inspection and questioning, Jalo continued, it was discovered that the driver was a citizen of Niger and was transporting the uniforms to an unidentified person in Katsina.
“The uniforms were counted to be 22 pairs of foreign tactical military camouflage shirts and trousers and another 25 pieces of military camouflage t-shirts,” he added.
According to Jalo, the seized military uniforms have been handed over to the Directorate of Security Services for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“Also, based on credible intelligence, operatives of the unit intercepted one used Mitsubishi Canter with number plate AKR 10 XG conveying sacks of Cannabis Sativa otherwise known as marijuana concealed with bags of cassava flakes and sawdust along Bungudu-Tsafe Road in Zamfara State.
“After physical examination, the vehicle was found to contain 46 sacks of Marijuana, with a street value of N2.1m,” he added.
Jalo said the operatives also intercepted a white narcotic substance together with two male suspects and one locally-made pistol at the Maigatari axis of Jigawa State.
He said on further tests of the substance by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Kaduna State Command, the illegal substance was discovered to be Opium with a total weight of 422 grams.
“The street value of the opium substance is N31m. The 422 grams of Opium substance together with the suspects and one locally-made pistol were handed over to the Kaduna State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,” he said.
The Customs boss said during the period under review, the zone impounded 1,147 Jerrycans 25 litres each of automotive gas oil valued at N3m.
He added, “In line with the extant laws and guidelines as directed by the Customs headquarters, the PMS and the diesel that were seized have been auctioned and the proceeds remitted to the coffers of the Federal Government.
“Other items seized included 37 units of used vehicles, five units of vehicles as means of conveyance, 2,109 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each and 69 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 25kg each.
“Others are eight jerrycans of foreign refined vegetable oil, 25 litres each, 1,241 cartons of foreign spaghetti and macaroni. Other items are 39 bales of foreign second-hand clothing, 30 sacks of foreign second-hand shoes, 14 cartons of foreign fruit juice, 21 cartons of foreign pomade, 80 pieces of foreign car batteries and one carton of foreign milk.”