Border Closure: Joint Operatives Seize Goods Worth N7.3bn

Harboursandports.com: Abuja - The Joint Security Operatives, code named ‘Exercise SWIFT Response’, has seized items valued at N7.3 billion in seven months of partial border closure by the Federal Government.

The Customs’ Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah, who is the spokesperson of the operatives, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

Customs Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah.

Attah explained that the operatives arrested 697 illegal migrants and seized 86,602 of 50kg bags of parboiled foreign rice.

He said 695 bags of NPK fertilizer, 1,172 vehicles, and 2,997 drums filled with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 16,771 empty 200 litre Drums of PMS, 90 engine boats; 68 drums of groundnut oil were intercepted.

He added that 26 trucks of 33,000 liters of PMS, 14,604 Jerri cans of PMS, 656 motorcycles, 15,089 Jerri cans of PMS, vegetable oil; among other items were seized.

The spokesperson noted that the exercise had continued to yield positive results and had saved the country huge resources and enhanced national security.

“For instance, the importation of drugs and proliferation of small arms and light weapons which usually fuel terrorism and other forms of criminality in the country has been considerably curtailed.

“Meanwhile, the agricultural sector has also received a boost due to the restriction placed on the importation of rice and other prohibited food items.