Zonal Coordinator, Zone `A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Assistant Comptroller-General Monday Abueh, has urged officers and men of the Seme and Idiroko/Ogun Area Commands to ensure non-passage of rice and vehicles into the country.

Abueh made the plea during his familiarisation tour of Seme and Idiroko/Ogun Area Commands on Tuesday.

The zonal coordinator said the Comptroller-General, Retired Colonel Hameed Ali and the Customs Management had redeployed officers to Seme and Idiroko Area Commands to ensure that nothing escaped through all routes in the areas.

He said his visit was to continue reminding officers of the Federal Government’s polices as well as the directive given by the comptroller-general to ensure security and protection of lives in the country.

He advised them not to assign their duties to someone else, adding that officers must engage in thorough search before given clearance to any consignment.

Abueh said officers could still collect revenue through general goods coming through the borders.

The assistant comptroller-general urged officers to ensure collection of duties on those general goods.

At Ogun Area Command, Abueh commended the synergy between Customs officers and other sister agencies, adding that collaboration was the key to combat security and other aspects of insecurity in the country.

The zonal coordinator said officers and sister agencies were working together to keep the country safe from unwholesome practices.

He advised officers to be strict in joint examination of goods, adding that any mistake on the part of officers would lead to serious punishment by the management.

Abueh said there was no reversal of the Federal Government’s policy banning vehicles and rice through the borders area.

He said there was need to work with the interest of the country at heart, adding that all security agencies should not allow any smuggled item into the country.

Abueh commended officers and men of Ogun Area Command for being on top of their duties and pleaded that they should not relent in their efforts in combating smuggling to the barest minimum.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Seme, Comptroller Victor Dimka, instructed officers to make use of the advice given by the zonal coordinator to assist them to excel in their career.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Ogun Area Command, Comptroller Hassan Gangua, said there was synergy between Customs officers and sister agencies which led to seizure of five vehicles of 2015 model and 1,000 motorcycles used to smuggle rice.

Gangua said the vehicles were intercepted along Alari border, Idiroko, adding that the seizures were made on Sunday, Jan. 29, following the Federal Government’s ban on importation of vehicles and rice through the land borders.