Chinese smugglers flood Nigeria with textile contraband, Customs chief

Tuesday, May 26, 2015 7:05 pm

* Customs uncover Textile materials valued at N319.9 billion in Kano

MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano

Comptroller-General of Nigerian Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde declared in Kano, northwest Nigeria on Tuesday that the agency has identified about 75 warehouses where contraband textile materials worth about N319.9 billion were stored.

He also vowed to prosecute four Chinese nationals linked with the smuggling of the textile materials.

3 Chinese arrested in connection with smuggled textiles in Kano

“We are investigating the suspects and in only one warehouse, the duty value of the goods in the warehouse we have checked is N4.263 billion. You can imagine that this only one warehouse and we are talking about 75 warehouses. You can imagine such a huge amount and we said we are looking for money to run the affairs of government,” he said.

According to him, the operation was carried out by his office based on information from patriotic Nigerians who showed concern over the extent of damage done to the nation’s economy by those who smuggle textile materials into the country.

Nigerian Customs boss, Dikko Abdullahi Inde

He, however, stated that while inspecting the seizures, “we have seen those that can be allowed to enter the market. For those that are allowed, I am going to give amnesty; but for those that are not allowed, I will never go against the law. We will block all the leakages.”

He noted that the Customs service has continued to device means to curtail smuggling, adding that just recently, Comptroller-Generals of Customs in West Africa met in Abuja to discuss ways through which Customs can effective fight smuggling.

He also hinted that the Customs service has concluded plans to organize a forum where by traders, local producers and the customs meet from time to time in order to foster relationship and bring down the wave of smuggling of contraband goods into the country.

Comptroller-General of Immigration, David Paradang said the Immigration is collaborating with the Customs service to regulate illegal migration into the country, just as he tasked the public to feel free at all times to divulge relevant information to the two agencies.