The Katsina command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has vowed to punish any of its operatives engaged in illicit activities amid claims that its officers blocked the passage of goods to Jibia.

The agency also cautioned Katsina residents against peddling wrong information.

“NCS is always ready to bring to book any officer that operates contrary to its standard operating procedures as enshrined in its book of instructions,” said the customs through its spokesman Danbaba Isah.

This was disclosed in a statement on Monday.

The statement added, “The attention of the NCS, Katsina area command, has been drawn to a video circulating on social media claiming that our operatives denied passage of goods to Jibia.

“This claim is untrue, and it is an attempt by unscrupulous members of the community to incite the general public against the customs.”

The agency insisted that it was committed to facilitating trade. “It is worth mentioning that one of the core functions of the NCS is trade facilitation,” it added.

It further stated that “as a local government area in Nigeria,” Jibia was entitled to free trade and movement of goods and services from all parts of the country.

Customs urged the public to desist from posting wrong information on social media.

(NAN)