Emeka Ibemere
In recent
times, the activities of smugglers have increased, geometrically compared to
some years ago, when there were no restrictions on the importation of poultry
products in Nigeria.
Even as stakeholders in local farming and
agricultural products are falling on themselves to commend the Nigeria activities
of the Nigeria Customs Service on her onslaughts against smuggling of frozen
poultry products’ ban.
However, the ban on the poultry products is
the current cause of the increased smuggling syndicates operating on
Nigeria-Benin Republic routes, Kaduna- Jibya axis, and including the unofficial
routes.
The National
Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), recently warned
against the consumption of imported or smuggled frozen poultry and meat,
threatening to take action should any smugglers or dealers be found with the
banned products.
NAFDAC
Director General, Dr Paul Orhii, supported his warning on a study he claimed
that was carried out by experts from University of Ibadan.
The imported
poultry products, of chicken and turkey have been alleged to have been
identified as causative agents in non- communicable diseases (NCDs) and
antibiotics resistance. Some of these health conditions were included to
hypertension, kidney disease, and cancer.
Despite the
strong warnings, the illegal smuggling of these products have increased more
than before, because the products are now costly and smugglers are smiling to
the banks.
The reason
according to our investigation is that the products locally produced in Nigeria
are not meeting up the desired demands of the local consumers.
According to
the president of the Poultry Association of Nigeria Dr Ayoola Odutan while the
local demand for frozen chicken is above two million metric tonnes annually,
Nigerian farmers are only able to produce 300,000 metric tonnes, leaving a wide
gap of more than 1.7 million metric tonne. “Out of this figure, smuggled
chicken accounts for 1.2 million metric tonnes annually.”
Dr Orhii
explained that the continuous consumption of imported chicken and turkey could
damage the human system on the long run, unlike poultry foods produced locally,
which have been found safer for consumption.
Nigeria Poultry
Association of Nigeria (PAN) has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on
its battles, particularly the commitment to their cause, noting that genuine
hope has now been restored to their business.
Our sources
in NCS said daring poultry smugglers have now relocated to the North, in a bid
to escape the onslaught in the South and South-west axis of the country.
Recently NCS
launched operation ‘Hawk Descend’s which is on its fifth week and the effort has
resulted in seizures of 13,960 cartons of frozen poultry, with a Duty Paid
Value DPV of over N45m.
“The
leadership of the Poultry Association Farmers appreciates the excellent
performance through various acts of onslaught, arrests and confiscation of
smuggled poultry products into the Country. This is very unprecedented, as we
can boldly say that operation “Hawk Descend” is a highly successful exercise,”
the group stated in their recent commendation to NCS.
Meanwhile, the
Customs Service said they ended its fifth week of operations by recording
seizures worth N45, 470,441, while posting a highest Duty Paid Value (DPV)
since the launch of the operation last month.
A breakdown
of the seizures showed that the Ogun Command impounded 6, 565 cartons with a
DPV of N2,937,441.00; the FOU Zone A recorded 1,395 cartons, with a DPV of N7,533,000.; the. FOU B (Kaduna)
confiscated 6,000, with DPV of N 35,000,000; was totalling 13,960 cartons, with
a DPV of N 45,470,441.
In his
assessment of the seizure, the resigned Comptroller-General of Customs, (CGC), and
Dikko Inde Abdullahi stated that smugglers of poultry products are now
exploring routes in the Northern and Eastern parts of the Country, as the
Special Operation had made life difficult for them in the South-Western flank.
He commended
the Federal Operations Units in Lagos and Kaduna for their huge seizures, and
put other Commands on alert, noting that the FOU Operatives in Kaduna actually
apprehended two trucks conveying smuggled poultry products at Gidan Wali, along
Babana border in Niger State.
Nigerian’s
Customs recently signed a bilateral agreement with the Customs Administration
of Benin Republic to synergize and share intelligence to boost operations along
the borders.
To actualise
this agreement, the Nigeria Customs Service remarkably supported Benin Customs
Administration with a donation of five brand new pick-up Double Cabin Vehicles.
The outgoing
Comptroller General, Dr. Dikko Inde Abdullahi enjoined Nigerians, particularly
the Poultry Association of Nigeria to support the Nigeria Customs Service with
relevant information in respect of frozen poultry smuggling, stressing that the
war against illicit trade must be fought by everyone.
Dikko while
disclosing that the Nigeria Customs Service NCS onslaught against poultry smuggling
code-named “Hawk Descend” has hit N28, 660,717 in the third week of its war.
“Please give
useful information and other forms of assistance that will further help the
operatives to achieve the goal of completely crippling poultry smuggling into
Nigeria”, he pleaded.
It was learnt
the seizures consisted of 5,915 cartons of frozen poultry product, mostly
conveyed in commercial vehicles, which was confiscated by Officers around the
South Western area of the country which consist of Badagry Creeks, Seme axis
and Idiroko axis of Ogun state.
The
breakdown of the seizures: showed that the Ogun Command recorded 2,800 cartons;
the Federal Operations Unit FOU impounded 2,561 cartons; the Western Marine 455
cartons, while Seme Command confiscated 99 cartons; bringing the entire
seizures to a total of 5,915 cartons.
The
Comptroller-General praised the efforts of the operatives, while asking the
smugglers to discontinue from smuggling the prohibited products which has resulted
in heavy capital losses, adding that the present government was resolute in
containing their menace, as a result of the negative consequences on the
economy of the nation.
Last week, the
Head of Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone “C”, an anti-smuggling unit in
Owerri, Comptroller Dimka, and Victor David warned that engaging in the smuggling
of the contraband products may soon become the smoothest route to jail.
He gave the
warning, while announcing that his command arrested 30 suspected smugglers in
July, out of which, not fewer than 20 had been dragged to court, as officers
and men of the command recorded a total of 48 seizures, with a Duty Paid Value
(DPV) of N197,385,747.00.
Dimka Victor,
the Customs Area Controller (CAC) also thanked members of the public for their “boldly
and courageously” effort in availing the
command of relevant information, noting that with their support, his
jurisdiction, particularly the Benin/Asaba express way, Owerri/Port-Harcourt
Road and Enugu axis where the seizures occurred have become smugglers
dead-ends.
“In addition
to the 48 seizures made last month, an under-payment of N24,246,213.00 was also
recovered”, he stated, providing a breakdown
which showed 69 bales of second hand clothing, 39 vehicles, 139 pieces
of used tyres, 244 pairs of used foot wears and 60 bags of 50kg rice
“The NCS will never succumb to senseless and
irrational pleadings for leniency and pardon by individuals caught in the act
of smuggling,” he warned.
According to
him, such consideration would amount to compromising the statutory
responsibilities of the Establishment. He decried the upsurge in smuggling,
despite obvious stiff penalties for culprits. Dimka is of confident that the
Nigeria Customs Service would never be discouraged in its patriotic mission to
bring the bane of smuggling to its barest minimum.
The officer
lamented the harm being inflicted on the nation’s economy by smugglers, their
sponsors and collaborators, and warned them to desist from their unholy trade,
as the NCS was now better equipped, trained and motivated to tackle the scourge
of smuggling with every skill and expediency, adding that those still obsessed
in smuggling to be mindful of the fact that the shady deal had brought sorrows
and grief to those arrested and their families.
As that
wasn’t enough, Special Task Force of the Comptroller General of Customs (CG
Task Force) on last week, Wednesday swooped on Tokunbo car smugglers in Ogun
State, impounded at least, three state of the art cars, one of them, a 2014
Range Rover.
The incident
took place at Oju-Ore area of Ota in the Ado-Odo/Ota local government area of
Ogun State but later developed into a gun battle, after the smugglers on the advice
of their leader, simply identified as Agarawu Baba, mobilized and waylaid the
officers who were taking the seizure to the Federal Operations Unit in Lagos.
The smugglers
was alleged to have mobilized their gang and blocked roads, and was chanting
incantations and waiving of guns, cutlasses alongside other dangerous weapons
by the which resulted in a gun duel, that lasted for about 40 minutes until men
of the Operation MESA and men from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, rushed to
the scene and allegedly brought the situation to its control.
The Customs
Public Relations Officer, FOU Command, Ikeja, and Uche Ejesieme specifically
confirmed that no life was lost. He said that the officers and men of the
Service understood very well that they have a primary task of protecting the
Nigerian life and property, even while risking their own lives, enforcing the
laws of the land.
