he Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Nigerian
Navy in Ibaka in Akwa Ibom State, Capt. Peter Yilme confirmed the
arrest of six suspected smugglers and seizure of 256 bags of 50kg rice.
Capt.
Peter Yilme noted this, while handing over the suspects and items to
the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Ibaka, Mbo LGA of Akwa Ibom.
Yilme
who was represented by the Base Operations Officer, Lt. Cdr. Kabiru
Yusuf, highlighted that the navy also seized a medium-sized wooden boat
from the suspected smugglers.
He said the navy
was determined to end smuggling on waterways, and warned smugglers to
desist from the act or be arrested, stressing that the FOB would
intensify riverine and land patrols to ensure an end to illegal trade on
the waterways.
I hereby hand over one
medium-sized wooden boat laden with 256 bags of rice, along with its six
crew members to the Nigeria Customs Service.
The base will not relent in curbing smuggling and other illegal activities by criminal elements on waterways or inland.
As
they continue to devise new means of smuggling rice, FOB, Ibaka, will
also intensify riverine and land patrols to ensure that illegal
smuggling is stopped within its area of operation.
Receiving
the suspects and items, a Deputy Superintendent of Nigeria Customs
Service, Alabi Adedokun, hailed the navy for cooperation.
He
said, On behalf of the Nigeria Customs Service, I, Alabi Adedokun, take
over the six defendants and 256 bags of foreign parboiled rice, he
said, expressing the sincere appreciation of the Service.
