Kwara Customs Command Hands Over Seized Marijuana Worth N57.8m To NDLEA In Ilorin
1,153 parcels of Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) which were intercepted by customs officers along Yamboa Axis of Bukuro, , Baruten Local Government, Kwara state, on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, have been officially handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kwara state command.
This was done at the headquarters of the Kwara state Area command, Ilorin on Wednesday.
Area Controller, Kwara command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Compt. Faith Matthew Ojeifo, told journalists including Team@orientactualmags.com that the DAF truck used in transporting the marijuana which is worth N21.5 million will be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria in accordance with provision of Section 250 of Customs Service Act, 2023.
He also disclosed that the driver of the truck had fled into the bush when he discovered that the custom officers were about to blow the lid off what they had done in secret.
‘To actualize one of the mandates of the command as stipulated in section 4e & f of Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 on suppression of smuggling and border enforcement, our officers along Yamboa Axis of Bukuro, Baruten Local Government, Kwara state, on Wednesday, 3rd July, 2024, at about 1700hrs, intercepted one DAF truck with registration number T-25750-LA suspected to be conveying prohibited items, our officers conducted a search on the vehicle in line with provision of section 6 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
While the search was being carried out, the driver, realizing that the eagle eyes of our officers have discovered that there was a concealment, abandoned the truck and fled into the bush to evade arrest; this action on the part of the driver triggered the interest of our officers.
In line with Section 226 a&b of Customs Service Act, 2023, the DAF truck was immediately transferred to the Command’s Headquarters in Ilorin. After 100% physical examination, the wonder truck was found to conceal One Thousand One Hundred and fifty three (1,153) parcels of Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) hidden in fabricated compartments and other components of the vehicle as I showed you earlier on. The Duty Paid value of the seized drugs is Fifty Seven Million, Six Hundred and Sixty Eight thousand Four Hundred and forty eight Naira N57, 668, 448.
The DAF truck worth N21.5 million will be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria in accordance with provision of Section 250 of Customs Service Act, 2023 which says that any ship, aircraft, vehicle or any means of conveyance found to have been gagged in or adapted in any manner for the purpose of concealing goods shall be forfeited’ he said.
Ojeifo also touched on the anti-smuggling activities, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the revenue generated by the command.
‘During the period under review, a total of 110 kegs that is about 2,750liters of PMS with duty paid value of Five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N550, 000) were seized. Nonetheless, in compliance with the extant laws, perishable and inflammable products were put up for public auction, with the amount generated as fees remitted to Federal Government coffers.
It is difficult to imagine that despite the current scarcity of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) in the country, some unpatriotic Nigerians still do attempt to smuggle this product out of the country through our borders. Within the period under review, the total DPV of seized items is Forty Two Million, Seven Hundred and Two Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Naira (N42, 702,650.00)
It might interest you to know that between June and July 2024, the command has generated and remitted the sum of Three Billion Three Hundred and Seventy one Million Eight Hundred and Sixty Six thousand Nine Hundred and eighteen Naira Eighty Eight Kobo N3, 371, 866,918.88 to the federation account which brought the total amount generated from January-July, 2024 (since I assumed duty) to Thirteen Billion Three Hundred and Ninety Eight Million Four Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand Six Hundred and Thirteen Naira Fifty One Kobo N13,398,447,613.51’ he said.
Giving her speech after taking possession of the seized marijuana , CL Fatimo Popoola Abiola, who is the Commandant, Kwara state command of the NDLEA, called what the Kwara Customs command has done ‘laudable achievement’ cognizant of the effects the marijuana would have had on society if not intercepted.
She cited the survey carried out in 2018 which had noted that 14.3 million Nigerians between the ages of 16 and 64 engage in drug abuse.
She also said the NDLEA , Kwara state command will work together with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to ensure that owners of the seized marijuana are apprehended in order to act as a deterrent- Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
