Bayo Akomolafe 
…intercepts 218 trucks laden with rice
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)’ Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT), Sector 2, South-West zone has impounded six pump-action rifles concealed in sacks of garri along the Okerete-Ododo bush path of the Oyo State and Benin Republic border axis.
New Telegraph gathered on Friday that the officers of the team, while on routine patrol along the border axis made the seizures of the pump-action rifles and 1,125 pieces of live cartridges concealed inside the sacks loaded inside a Toyota Camry Saloon car.
The Coordinator of the team, Deputy Comptroller Mohammed Salisu Shuaibu, also explained that between August 2019 and date, the team had seized goods worth N36.7 billion and intercepted 1,507 illegal immigrants.
Shuaibu explained that the former code-named “Operation Swift Response” was inaugurated on 20th August 2019 to address security challenges along the nation’s international borders caused by the proliferation of smuggled small and light weapons, illicit drugs, prohibited goods and other cross-border crimes.
Shuaibu added that the sector’s efforts had boosted the Federal Government’s revenue through auction sales.
The coordinator said: “The recent of this kind of seizure was on December 3, 2024, when a patrol team sighted a man running away from a stationed Toyota Camry Saloon car along the Okerete-Ododo bush path of Oyo State. The fleeing man’s action raised suspicion on the abandoned vehicle and it was intercepted.
“After conducting a search on the vehicle, it was found to contain six pump-action rifles with the following numbers: 602-H22YT641, 602-H22YT-397, 602-H22YT-623, 22-MT-0238, P537916, and T051084. A total of 1,125 pieces of live cartridges were found to be carefully concealed inside sacks containing cassava flakes.
“Prominent among other seizures recorded from 20 August 2019 till date are: 1, 130,954 bags of foreign bags of rice (50 kg) equivalent to 218 truckloads; 7,200 kg of pangolin scales; 5,575,020 litres of Premium motor spirit; 11,322 cartons of foreign frozen products; 4,124 bales of used clothes; 4,057 kegs of vegetable oil; 15 pump action riffles; 280 suspected cases of human trafficking; 480 units of motor vehicles; and 1,190 means of conveyance.”
Shuaibu stressed that JBPT, Sector 2 had encountered some operational challenges like any other establishment, noting that these challenges were surmounted with the aid of collaboration with some critical stakeholders, developing innovative problem-solving skills and commitment to effective leadership and management.
