By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command has carted away more than 50 bags of foreign rice after invading Gidan Legge Village in Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
This is coming about a week after the NCS embarked on house-to-house search on some Villages where it carted away numerous bags of rice and motorcycles.
Our reporter reports that the Customs officers went to the village and carted away rice and other prohibited food items.
The Command’s Deputy Comptroller Enforcement, Mohammed Aminu Hassan confirmed the report, stating that the operation was carried out after an investigation and secret information by the enforcement team of the command.
He explained that the decision to raid for smuggled rice was in order to key into the federal government’s policy on agricultural development in the area of boosting local rice production.
DC Mohammed Aminu Hassan, explained that the Customs is empowered to carry out such operations in its efforts to tackle the manners of smuggling.
He assured that the battle line has been drawn and NCS will continue to do its best while the officers are ready to go and seize any rice found anywhere within the command.
According to him, “You are aware that the Federal Government imposed a ban on importation of foreign rice to encourage local production in the country.
“As it stands, foreign rice is a contraband and the law empowers us, the act that established the service empowers officers to carry out such operations; to search any village or warehouse upon reasonable suspicion that prohibited goods are stored, and evacuate by them,” he said.
Investigatioyn by our reporter revealed that Kano/Jigawa Command of NCS vowed to invade villages and warehouses within the its area, suspected to be hoarding rice and other prohibited food items.
The Command has intercepted several bags of rice, motorcycles that are being used to convey smuggled rice into Kano and Jigawa markets.
