The Nigeria Customs Service says it will intensify its crackdown on smuggling.

The newly appointed area comptroller, Ahmad Shuaibu, said this in an interview on Saturday in Ota, Ogun.

Mr Shuaibu said there was a need for advanced technology, professionalism, and integrity in tackling the challenge.

“The illegal importation of banned goods, such as used clothing and foreign rice, poses a significant threat to our economy.

“These contrabands stifle the growth of local industries, including the textile sector, which has the potential to create jobs for millions of Nigerians,” he said.

He also mentioned that the influx of foreign rice into the country hampers domestic production and undermines the government’s efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency.

The comptroller also expressed concern over the smuggling of cannabis, which, according to him, poses a serious threat to border security and public safety.

He assured the public that the NCS would not tolerate any form of economic sabotage and would work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice.

(NAN)