FOU, Zone ‘A’ Intercepts 445 Bags Of Rice Within An Hour Operation- Says Comptroller Kola Oladeji
By Asuquo Nuwak
FOU, Zone ‘A’ Intercepts 445 Bags Of Rice Within An Hour Operation- Says Comptroller Kola Oladeji
The Federal Operations Units (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of Nigeria Customs Service, under the exceptional leadership of Comptroller Kola Oladeji, has intercepted 445 bags of parboiled rice in an operation which lasted less than an hour along the Ogun Area Command.
The Customs Area Controller, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Comptroller Kola Oladeji, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday,
also said the interception occurred at the Ijohun axis along the Ogun border.
He attributed the successful operation to intelligence reports received from stakeholders.
He further said that as soon as smugglers saw officers, they fled, leaving the truck behind. The truck was stuck in a swampy area, at this point another vehicle was hired by the officers to transport the seized rice to the unit for documentation.
He said so far, the 445 bags of rice have been forfeited to the federal government, but fortunately, no lives were lost, and no casualties were recorded.
He explained that smugglers usually comply with customs’ rules of engagement, while officers prioritise protecting lives and property.
Comptroller Oladeji praised the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and his management team for equipping the command and motivating officers, leading to impressive results.
He also acknowledged the support of stakeholders and traditional rulers in the zone for assisting customs operations.
He warned smugglers to embrace legal businesses and support Nigerian rice farmers, instead of smuggling expired rice into the country.
Comptroller Oladeji called on them to invest in local farming and create jobs for Nigerian youths, rather than supporting foreign economies like Thailand and India.
He said by investing in legitimate business in Nigeria, we will not allow smuggling to thrive in this country.
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