The Western Marine Command,Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS) Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, has promised to end the practice of seizures occurring without any arrest of the suspects.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Command, Comptroller Bamisaye.hand over the delivery of 1257 cannabis sativa loaves to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to the CAC ,Officers had intercepted and seized seventeen (17) sacks containing one thousand, two hundred and fifty seven (1,257) loaves of Cannabis Sativa, valued at around 96 million Naira. The sacks had a combined weight of 609 kg.
“At about 2300hrs on Wednesday 15 May 2024, a patrol team of Officers and Men of WMC at the Bar beach station of the Command received credible intelligence on movement of a boat on the high sea along the beach location carrying items suspected to be offending items. Upon receiving the information the team moved towards the described location and intercepted one fiber boat fitted with 200HP Yamaha Engine carrying sacks of the suspected items”. He said
He further explained that on May 19, 2024, a team comprising Officers and Men of the Command, on a routine patrol along Panko Creek, Badagry Waterways, intercepted a wooden boat with a 25 HP Yamaha engine that was transporting 500 bags of 50 kg of foreign parboiled rice. The total DPV of the bags was Fifty Nine Million, One Hundred and Eighty Five Thousand Naira (N59, 185,000.00).
“In the spirit of interagency synergy and collaboration in line with the Comptroller General’s (CGC) policy thrust, the Western Marine Command (WMC) under my leadership has received approval to handover Seventeen (17) sacks containing One thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Seven (1,257) loaves of Cannabis Sativa which includes Seventy Two (72) loaves that were previously seized by the Command with a combined weight of 609kg worth over 96 Million Naira to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)”.
“While appreciating the CGC and Management of NCS for the motivation they provide, the WMC under Compt. Paul Bamisaiye appeal to the general and trading public not to engage in illicit drugs. And to stop smuggling which lead to economic sabotage as drugs continue to be a menace to society and serves as the source of other criminal acts, like banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery”.
“Western Marine Command is poised more than ever to improve on this performance in the years ahead”. He said
Bamisaiye raised concern that no suspects were detained following the seizure of rice and cannabis while answering questions from the media.
He said that the practice of making arrests without having a suspect must halt, but he also said that he had told his officers not to murder.
He stated that despite the possibility of smuggling never fully ceasing, the Command’s ongoing efforts had effectively curbed smuggling activity in the western waterways.
The CAC claims that the Command is interacting with border and riverine community leaders to inform them of the detrimental effects of smuggling and to ask for their assistance in stopping the illicit activity.
He also urged the public to abstain from illegal drug trade and smuggling, as these activities feed economic sabotage and criminal activities such as kidnapping, banditry, and armed robbery.
After receiving the confiscated cannabis, Assistant Commander of Narcotics, Marine Command, Magaji Bashiru, praised the Command for its efforts in executing the seizure.
In order to ensure that those in responsible are held accountable, he pledged to conduct a comprehensive enquiry of the seizure.Bashiru added.
