The Customs Area Controller, Kwara State Command, Comptroller Kehinde Ilesanmi, has said the service generated N5 billion between June and October 2023.

Mr Ilesanmi spoke on Tuesday in Ilorin during a news conference.

He said during the same period in 2022 the command generated N307, 517,623.49.  

Commenting on the seizures, he said the items included 352 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each, and 1,875 litres of petroleum of 25 litres each in 75 jerry cans.

The comptroller said three suspects were arrested during the period under review while the duty paid value of the seizures was N11, 149,636.00.

He added that the service handed over two suspects arrested in connection with two stolen vehicles to policemen from the Lagos State Police Command.

Mr Ilesanmi said, “This handing over of suspected stolen vehicles which were intercepted by officers and men of the command is an intervention that is in furtherance of the synergy that has been in place between the NCS and the Nigeria Police Force.

”The customs and police have traditional responsibilities of coexisting and collaborating and whenever we see any infraction that seems to affect each other, we make arrests and hand them over to the appropriate authorities.

“Recall that the Kwara command’s land border is still under lock and key for movement of vehicles and other commercial activities. During the course of investigation, it was discovered that the registration number of the said vehicle belonged to a Toyota Hiace bus. This is what heightened the curiosity of our officers and the vehicle was detained.’’

He warned smugglers to steer clear of Kwara, adding that the NCS officers had continued to dominate with aggressive patrols to deny smugglers freedom of action.

Mr Ilesanmi praised the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and his management team for giving the Kwara Command additional four patrol vehicles to assist in achieving great results.