By Stephen Ubanna
In spite of the overbearing influence of the officers and men of the Federal Operations Unit, FOU, zone A, under the close watch of Compt. Kola OOladeji, who are stationed at strategic locations in all the official and illegal routes in the south western states of Oyo and Osun states ,Compt. Ben Nkem Oramalugo, Area Controller , Osun/Osun Command , appears to have shown his expertise in dealing decisively with the smuggglers without any loss of life.
For much of this year, the FOU, Zone A, enforcement officers had dominated the anti-smuggling operations in the two south western states of Oyo and Osun, , making major contraband seizures, leaving Compt. Oramalugo,’s officers with items that may have escaped their sight to intercept and seize.
Unknown to may, the Oyo,Osun, Area Controller, who was said to have made the Command anti-smuggling officers to undergo re-orientations in dealing with the and smugglers in times of crimes has a working agenda which was said to be a closely guide secret to him.
The officers of the Oyo/Osun Command, may have taken advantage of the Take It Back Movement recently organized protest against Hunger and Hardship, across the country to showcase the stuff they were made up of in making spectacular Contraband seizures which was said to have made headline news in major Newspapers across the country and subject of discussions wherever two or three people are gathered in every part of Oyo or Osun states and even among the security agencies personnel and other interventionist units in the south western states.
Given an insider information, Kayode Wey, a Superintendent of Customs and the Command spokesperson, who appears to have gotten the mandate of the Command no nonsense Area Controller, to issue a statement over the spectacular Contraband seizures that had been made by the Command without waiting for the news to be broken during the Command usual monthly press briefing may have shocked Nigerians.
The Customs Superintendent had said that on August 12, 2024, acting on intelligence the Command enforcement officers stationed along the notorious Saki axis, a border route between Nigeria and the neighbouring Republic of Benin, had intercepted 2,290 pieces of pneumatic tyres concealed with other goods in a DAF truck, which was aid to have been transferred to Command premises with little or no resistance.
Given that pneumatic tyres , Husked brown rice, popular , parboiled rice and fairly used vehicles had been prohibited from being imported into the country by the previous Administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari through the land border and the law is still in force, coupled with the tight security that had been initiated at the land border stations by Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, the Customs Comptroller General , to forestall the movement of contraband goods in and out of the country to enhance trade facilitation, may have encouraged the Oyo/Osun and other Interventionist units to sit up.
Supt. Wey, who may have spoken the mind of the Command Area Controller had said that the Contraband seizures that was made by the Command was part of ‘’the ongoing efforts to curtail the smuggling of prohibited items into the country and ensure that the smugglers do not turn the Nigerian markets into a dumping ground for foreign manufactured pneumatic tyres and other manufactured goods.
Supt.Wey, who had alluded to the remarks of the Customs Controller, who was emphatic that ‘’importation and smuggling of used tyres into the country is illegal” as it poses significant risks to motorists due to the worn-out nature which makes it unsafe on the highways.
The Oyo/Osun, Command , Area Controller, was quoted by Supt. Wey, as having said that the successful interception of the pneumatic tyres was a testament ”to the vigilance and dedication of the Command enforcement officers , who work tirelessly to prevent substandard and prohibited goods from being smuggled into the Nigerian market at all costs.
Compt. Oramalugo, who had corroborated what the Command spokesperson had said was said to have further revealed that the pneumatic tyres concealed in the DAF truck were discovered during a routine stop-and –search operation that was said to have been conducted by one of the numerous anti-smuggling teams of the Command along the Saki axis.
He noted that upon examination of the truck the used tyres were found to have been concealed with other non –prohibited goods within the DAF truck in an attempt ”to evade detection by Customs enforcement officers on the road and other Law enforcement officers but got it wrong.
Compt. Oramalugo, who could not hide his feelings was said to have told those that that cares to listen that the seizure of the used tyres had further highlighted the importance of the Command‘s continuous surveillance and intelligence –gathering efforts.
‘’We are committed to ensuring that only Legitimate goods as contained in the Economic Community of States, ECOWAS, Common External Tariff, CET, are allowed into the country’’, he had remarked. He was said to have further assured that the Command will strengthen its operations ”to combat smuggling activities across the two south western states under its jurisdictions”.
Appealing to the unrepentant smuggles to turn a new leaf and embrace genuine trade, the Oyo/Osun Area Controller, s who has sent a message to the economic saboteurs had made it clear that ‘’the service will not relent in its efforts to bring offenders to justice and safeguard the nation’s borders’’, which a policy thrust of the present Leadership.
An elated Oramalugo, may have gladdened the heart of Nigerians when he said that the Command remains resolute in its mission to protect the Nigerian public from the dangers of substandard smuggled goods being smuggled into the country , stressing that ‘’it will continue to collaborate with other security agencies including the military and to ensure effective enforcement of Customs service Act , 2023, regulations.
The seizure of the pneumatic tyres concealed in the intercepted DAF truck, may have encouraged the the Oyo/Osun, Customs boss, to solicit the support of the Nigerian public to always report any suspicious activities related to smuggling of illicit goods in their locality to the Command to assist them in carrying out their anti-smuggling job on Oyo and Osun states.
Let us hope that the people will heed to the Customs Comptroller’s appeal which will mean that more Contraband seizures would be made by the Oyo/Osun Command, in the remaining months of this 2024.
