Action Rifles
Security Agencies Nab 1,865 Suspects for Border
Crimes
One year into the ongoing joint border drill, codenamed
‘Exercise SWIFT RESPONSE ’, appreciable results have been recorded,
particularly in the areas of security, economy, agriculture and
inter-agency collaboration.
It will be recalled that the exercise, which commenced on 20th
August, 2019 involves the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian
Immigration Service (NIS), in collaboration with the Armed Forces
of Nigeria (AFN) as well as the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and
other security and intelligence agencies, under the coordination of
the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The present administration, through ONSA took a definitive step
to put Nigeria on the path to food sufficiency, stem the flow of
illicit arms into the country and improve national security through
the Exercise. The joint border security exercise, has no doubt
saved the country huge resources and enhanced national security.
For instance, the smuggling of drugs and proliferation of small
arms and light weapons which are drivers to terrorism and other
forms of criminalities in the country have been considerably
curtailed.
The exercise has also made it more difficult for terrorists and
other criminals to acquire arms and ammunition, while criminal
elements find it challenging to make their way into the country
through the land and maritime borders. This has thus contributed to
the reduction in cases of transnational organized crimes.
Exercise SWIFT RESPONSE has also boosted production of
agricultural products, especially local rice, tomatoes, maize,
poultry e.t.c and this has stimulated the growth of the
agricultural sector/economy.
Today, Nigeria is fast attaining self-sufficiency in rice
production, as the border drill has drastically reduced rice
smuggling into the country and catalyzed rice production by farmers
across the country, while millions of direct and indirect jobs have
been created. Huge amount in foreign exchange, that previously went
into rice importation saved. The rice farmers in the country are
now venturing beyond rice cultivation to milling, packaging and
marketing.
Meanwhile, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA)
which is coordinating the exercise has continued to record large
numbers of seizures and arrests from the 4 sectors of the
North-West, North-Central, South-West, and South-South geopolitical
zones. As at 31st August 2020, 1,243, irregular immigrants and 622
suspected smugglers have been arre sted, while seizures include
134,042 bags of parboiled foreign rice; 9,600 bags of NPK
fertilizer; 1,791 vehicles; 3,565,461.9 litres of PMS; 5,007 drums
filled with PMS; 68,436.3 Jerricans of PMS; 130 engine boats; 847
motorcycles; 17,212.6 Jerricans of vegetable oil; 813 packs of
Tramadol; 274 bags of cannabis; among other items. The estimated
monetary value of the seizures is N11,030,062,952.50.
Nigeria remains committed to the ongoing diplomatic engagements
to finding lasting solutions to the concerns that necessitated the
partial border closure.
While the priority for now remains to keep our borders safe from
any inimical activity that would compromise our national interests
and by extension our national security. We appeal to Nigerians to
continue their support for the ongoing efforts towards making the
nation better secured and economically viable.
Signed:
DC, Joseph Attah
Public Relations Officer
For: Comptroller-General of Customs