Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted a 25-seater Coaster bus belonging to the Federal University of Agriculture,...
Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted a 25-seater Coaster bus belonging to the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, for allegedly conveying 249 kilogrammes of Indian hemp. They also arrested the driver of the vehicle, identified as Mr. Adeola Bolaji Philips, and subsequently handed him over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agent (NDLEA).
The state NCS Comptroller, Sani Madugu, who disclosed this to journalists in Abeokuta, said the suspect was arrested along the border area in Imeko-Afon axis of the state. Madugu added that apart from the Indian hemp, which was perfectly concealed inside the university bus, the suspect was also nabbed with 42 bags of smuggled rice.
The comptroller explained that smugglers in the country had now devised different ways to conceal contraband. He, therefore, urged wellmeaning Nigerians to join hands with the Customs in fighting smuggling by volunteering information to the NCS.
Madugu also said nine different Tokunbo cars, with the duty paid value of N41 million, were recovered from suspected smugglers. He disclosed that within 10 days, the command seized about 2,000 bags of smuggled rice and 220 kegs of vegetable oil.
The comptroller promised that the command was busy working to checkmate smuggling in the country. Receiving the suspect and the seized goods, the NDLEA Commander, Mr. Bala Fagge, commended the efforts of Customs and called for synergy with other security agencies towards controlling the smuggling of hard drugs into the country.
According to him, Indian hemps are being cultivated in large scale in neighbouring Republic of Benin while Nigeria is regarded as a steady market. Fagge said investigation had already commenced, promising that those behind the crime would be brought to book “because the arrested driver is just a carrier of the goods”.
Reacting, the Head, Directorate of Public Relations of FUNAAB, Mrs. Emi Alawode, said the institution had launched investigation into the incident. Alawode said in a statement that the university management would cooperate with law enforcement agents to perform their statutory duties.
She absolved the institution from the incident, saying FUNAAB remained a responsible and law-abiding organisation committed to upholding all statutory enactments guiding its establishment.
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