Goods and vehicles seized by the Katsina Command of the
Nigeria Customs Service have destroyed by an early morning fire that gutted
part of the Command’s office in Katsina. The Command’s Comptroller, Olusemire
Kayode, who confirmed the incident said the Command had been under threat and
that the fire incident probably could be an act of incendiary and sabotage.
Kayode said: “Unfortunately, this morning we had an incident
of fire around 4:30a.m. Officers on duty called to inform me that there was an
act of fire in the office.
“Probably, it is an act of incendiary or sabotage. We have
been threatened, called names because the people are feeling the effect of what
we are doing here. We receive threats through phone calls; they call to harass
us, using unknown numbers.
“Of recent, smugglers everywhere have been complaining about
our activities because they know there is a paradigm shift.
“In the last three to four weeks, we have made some seizures
such as rice, spaghetti, vegetable oil and used tyres. We have arrested seven
J5 vehicles loading an average of 100 bags of rice, 15 saloon cars, loading an
average of 35 bags of rice, seven Volkswagen and 12 motorcycles conveying
second-hand clothing.
“We arrested six
suspects but we granted them administrative bails according to the
constitution.
” On the threat, Comptroller Kayode said he has visited the
Emir of Katsina to seek his intervention to checkmate the menace.
His words: “Two days ago, we went to complain to the Emir
and appeal to him to help us talk to his wards about the ills of smuggling
activities in the state. “The business of smuggling is an issue that has been
affecting the economy of the country most especially on rice, vegetable oil,
spaghetti.
“These items are
available in Nigeria, so we do not need to unnecessarily import or smuggle to
Nigeria.”
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