NAN-H-20
Smuggling
By Auwalu Yusuf
Daura (Katsina State) July 20, 2017 (NAN) Alhaji Mansur Muazu, an importer, has said that the Federal Government must involve licensed importers in the fight against smuggling.
Muazu, who is based in Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State, made the statement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Daura on Thursday.
He attributed the endless menace of smuggling activities across border communities to the failure of government to include licensed importers in the fight against the practice.
Muazu said the inclusion of licensed importers, especially those operating in the border towns, would help check the activities of smugglers.
“We know most of those who still partake in smuggling activities in spite of the ban on its practice,” he said.
Muazu said some residents of border communities connived with smugglers in their activities.
He said when smugglers were caught community people helped them to overpower customs officers, who were doing their best to bring sanity to importation business.
Muazu said that the importers were working toward forming an association to help Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in checking smuggling and other cross border crimes.
The importer said the association would sensitise border communities to the dangers of smuggling.
He commended the resilience, commitment and determination of NCS for reducing cases of smuggling across international borders in Katsina State.
Muazu said the menace of smuggling along Kongolam, Jibia, Tsatsumburum, Babban Mutum international borders in the state had reduced.
He called on government to provide modern equipment for NCS for easy detection of those who used other crafty methods to perpetrate smuggling activities. (NAN)
BKD/ESAN/JCE
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Edited by Abiodun Esan/Chukwudi Ekezie