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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Oyo/ Osun Area Command, on Tuesday said that it arrested no fewer than eight suspected smugglers arrested in connection with smuggling of some prohibited items into the country between January and March this year.
        The Customs Area Controller, Mr. Abdullahi Argungu, made this disclosure while addressing a press conference at the command’s headquarters in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. He said the suspects were arrested by his men in different locations within the command’s area of coverage in the two states of Oyo and Osun. Argungu insisted that the suspects who have been granted conditional bail would soon be charged to court after investigations have been concluded. He said, “Eight (8) suspects were arrested and subsequently granted conditional bail and will soon be charged to court. I must sincerely commend the dedication of my officers and cooperation of other units of service and the synergy enjoyed with other sister agencies. Argungu further disclosed that the command between January and March, intercepted no fewer than three thousand, two hundred and seventy (3,270) 50kg bags of imported parboiled rice and seven hundred (700) 25 litres of kegs of vegetable oil, fifty bags of sugar, twenty bales of second-hand clothing and other contraband goods with duty laid value put at N105,728,974.66. He added that the command within three months generated the sum of N13,397,441,364.71 from excise duties in the first quarter of 2019.
        The Customs Area Controller said, “The command under my watch has continued to improve on its intelligence-driven strategy and has carried out series of operations at different locations within the command’s area of coverage, which has led to the following: One used ash colour Toyota Corolla with duty paid value put at three million, three thousand, six hundred and twenty eight naira (3,003,628.00). One used white colour Toyota Highlander with duty paid value put at (N4,072,713.00), One used black color Toyota Prado with duty paid value put at (12,112,448.00). One used black Peugeot 607 with duty paid value put at (1,253,056.00), three thousand, two hundred and seventy (50kg) bags of rice with duty paid value put at (49,634,676.00). Seven hundred (700) 25 litres of kegs of vegetable oil with duty paid value put at (N6, 828,344.44), fifty bags of sugar with duty paid value put at (00,977.00). Twenty bales of second hand clothing with duty paid value put at (N2,047,920.00), twenty nine means of conveyance with duty paid value put at (N25,975,212.22). The total duty paid value is put at (N105,728,974.66). In the area of revenue collection, the command collected the sum of thirteen billion, three hundred and ninety seven million, four hundred and forty one thousand, three hundred and sixty four naira and seventy one kobo (N13,397,441,364.71) from excise duties in the first quarter of 2019. Let me also inform you gentlemen of the press of the sentence of one Mr. Bayo Mafo who was sentenced by the federal high court Ibadan to three years imprisonment for impersonating as a Customs officer and obtaining money under false pretences. This is not serve as a warning to others who think they can continue to reap where they did not sow to desist from such illegalities.