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By: Manoah Kikekon
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| Nigeria Navy handing over to Seme Customs |
Navy Captain Linus Osuman, the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) BADAGRY, Akarakumo, Badagry, Lagos, on Thursday, January 2nd, 2025, has handed over 6 suspected smugglers and 126 bags of foreign parboiled rice to the Nigeria Customs Service.
Captain Osuman, addressing journalists, said the suspect smugglers and three fibre boats filled with bags of foreign rice were intercepted at about 8.00.p.m, on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Akere Creek, Badagry.
According to him, the Base got an intelligence report that some bags of foreign rice were being moved to Akere community in Badagry.
"On getting this information, the Base quickly deployed its Quick Response Team (QRT) to the area for interception, where 126 bags of foreign rice were intercepted and 6 suspected smugglers were also arrested and brought to the base for further investigation.
"The adjoining communities were also searched, but no smuggled products or suspects were found," he said.
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| Suspected smugglers that were arrested |
The Commanding Officer said the suspects and the bags of foreign rice would be handed over to the officials of Customs from Semé Command.
Osuman said that the arrest was made possible by the unrelenting efforts of the Base in gathering actionable intelligence and sustainable presence in the waterways in line with the dictate of the ongoing Operation Water Guard.
"As we all know, smuggling is detrimental to the nation's economy, and it leads to loss of revenue as well as harmful to local production capabilities.
"Also, proceeds from smuggled goods are used to sponsor criminality in the country.
"These sustained efforts of FOB BADAGRY demonstrate its unwavering commitment to maritime security within its Area of Operations (AOO).
"They are all geared towards complying with the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice-Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla Strategic Directive 2023-6 which is to ensure a safe and secure maritime environment in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea," he said.
Osuman said Nigerian Navy would continue to collaborate with NCS and relevant agencies to ensure that the nation's maritime domain is permissive to legitimate business as well as ensuring security of legitimate trade both on waterways or in connecting literal areas.
Receiving the suspected smugglers and bags of foreign rice, Assistant Comptroller Imam Shehu, the Officer in Charge of Enforcement, Semé Area Command, Nigeria Customs Service, commended Nigeria Navy for ensuring safety on waterways.
Shehu said that NCS and Navy had a strong, tight synergy, adding that this would continue.
He said the six suspected smugglers would be charged to Court, while the foreign rice would be condemned to Court of justice and later auction to the public.
He promised that the collaboration between the two agencies would continue.