Customs Intercept And Seize Police Van Used For Rice Smuggling; Police Denies Ownership Of The Van

Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun Area Command 1, have confirmed the interception of a police van loaded with contraband goods after it escaped from the Idi-Iroko border in the Ipokia Local Government Area of the state.

Bamidele Makinde, the Customs Area Controller, while briefing newsmen on Tuesday regarding the 142 seizures which the command has made within the 33 days he assumed office in Abeokuta, the State’s capital.

According him, the Hillux patrol van, with police number plate PF 10889 SPY, was intercepted with 27 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice.

He explained that the driver of the vehicle, who was seen in mufti, evaded from the Idi-Iroko border, but was intercepted along the Alamala Baracks Road, near Imala, Abeokuta.

Makinde added when the driver, sighted his men, the driver abandoned the van and took to his heel.

He, however stated that he could not authoritatively say the vehicle belonged to the police.

To him, the number plate on the van with siren did validate the claim.

When asked if the van would be released to the police, Makinde said; “As it is, it will be communicated to Abuja. The NCS headquarters has the final say on what happens to it. If it is found to be a police vehicle, it is only Abuja that can release it to the police authorities.

“It is supposed to be a security vehicle, but it was used to smuggle 27 bags of rice. The driver suddenly parked and ran away, abandoning the van.”

The state NCS boss also said that the command impounded 5,420 bags of rice between February 9 and March 21.

He revealed that the total duty paid value of all seized goods is N143,905,508.

On the contrary, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement, denied the Command’s ownership of the van

According to him; “To start with, the number plate on the vehicle, which is PF 10889 SPY is not a police number plate, as no police vehicle will be numbered in such a manner.

“The Nigeria Custom Services, which has unfettered access to the top echelon of the police command, would have contacted the command for information about the vehicle before labelling it as a police vehicle in their press briefing. More so that nobody was arrested with the said vehicle to give credence to their claim.

“The command hereby wishes to inform members of the public that the said vehicle is not a police vehicle and the number plate on it is fake; the police have nothing to do with it.”