The Nigeria Customs Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C, engages in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) acts while stamping out smuggling activities in the South East and South South regions
Jude Nzennaya Port Harcourt
The Nigeria Customs Service’s Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’ which is led by Comptroller Mike Ugbagu has quashed smuggling syndicates with various contrabands seizures worth N126.67 million in Duty Paid Value (DPV).
In its fight against smuggling activities while discharging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes at the same time, the command located in Owerri, the Imo state capital, is also reaching out to the host communities with a medical outreach and water supply project especially in Irete town, near Owerri.
These noble activities being undertaken by FOU Zone C were disclosed in a briefing with journalist at the command’s headquarters in Owerri, by Comptroller Ugbagu.
Ogbagu hinted that between October 7 and November 6, the Unit made seizures of contraband items from various locations in its areas of operation.
These seizures include 5,189 sachets of tramadol, 164 bales of second hand clothing, 212 cartons of foreign macaroni, 643 used pneumatic tyres, 119 jerrycans of premium motor spirit, 44 bags of foreign rice, 40 used compressors, and 10 parcels of cannabis sativa.
Based on intelligence gathering, these seizures were primarily conducted along the Ewu-Okada/Benin expressways and Calabar axis.
Comptroller Ugbagu said, “Today’s briefing is very unique in the sense that it is not just all about detention or seizures, but rather there is a paradigm shift in the way and manner we relate and co-habit with our host communities with particular reference to Umuoba Village in Irete autonomous Community Owerri west local government area and Ibaka community in Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom State,
“The Command also focused on giving back to its host communities, in collaboration with stakeholders, the Unit organised a two-day free medical outreach on November 2nd and 3rd for residents of Umuoba Village in Irete autonomous Community Owerri, Imo State.”
The outreach offered services such as blood pressure and sugar level checks, eye examinations, consultations with medical practitioners, and distribution of free medicated glasses.
Irete community members expressed joy for the gesture of the Nigeria Customs, noting that the medical outreach met critical health needs as well, it also dug two solar-powered boreholes with 10,000-liter storage tanks capacity in same Irete community, Imo State and Ibaka community in Akwa Ibom State. The water projects, set to be inaugurated in few weeks, aim to provide consistent, clean water access regardless of power availability, directly addressing community needs of the people ,” he explained
Comptroller Ugbagu commended the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for his support and guidance. As he urged the public to support Customs’ efforts by providing intelligence information to curb smuggling activities that harm the nation’s economy.
