President Muhammadu Buhari and the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) are billed to travel to Turkey for a bilateral meeting with the authorities of Turkish Customs Service, it was learnt yesterday.
According to Deputy Comptroller-General, Aminu Dangaladima, the meeting’s aim is to put an end to the importation of deadly weapons from Turkey.
It will be recalled that the service last month announced the seizure of 2,671 pump action rifles illegally imported from Turkey into Nigeria.
Owing to the seizure, Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Halal. Cakil, vowed on September 26 that his country would fish out the brains behind the shipping of illegal arms into Nigeria.
Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, Dangaladima said: “Let me seize this opportunity to impromptu you that we are making progress on investigation into the illegal arms importation.
“More arrests have been made and the CGC will be on the entourage of Mr. President to Turkey for sideline bilateral meeting with the Turkish customs authorities.
“This is with the aim of permanently putting an end to such deadly importations from Turkey.”
He revealed that on October 10, the NCS operatives seized 27 Toyota Hilux pick-up vehicles worth N432 million.
His words: “On Wednesday 10th October, 2017, based on credible intelligence, operatives of the NCS Compliance Team went to two open car stands along Kubwa Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory and evacuated 27 Toyota Hilux pick-up vehicles suspected to be smuggled into the country. These vehicles have estimated Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N432 million.”
He urged the owners of the vehicles to come forward with valid Customs clearance documents, otherwise they will be liable to seizure and subsequent forfeiture to the federal government in line with the laws of the land.
Dangaladima recalled that last month, Ali, while briefing the media on the interception of exotic vehicles, 18 of which were bullet proof, said that the service under his leadership would enforce the powers given in the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) effectively.
He said that being in possession of smuggled items is an offences under Section 3 of Customs and Excise Act Cap 47 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004.
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