The Kaduna Area Commander of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Dalha Wada Chedi, has revealed that bandits have taken control of two fully loaded trucks containing smuggled goods.
He said that the criminals hijacked the trucks within a dense forest as they were being transported into Nigeria.
According to him, the bandits seized the merchandise after the smugglers opted to transport the illicit goods through the forest a few days ago near the Batsari region in Katsina State.
At a press conference held on Friday, Chedi, of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone B in Kaduna, announced that smugglers have been utilizing perilous pathways monitored by bandits to illegally bring items into the country.
“We just received the news less than 24 hours ago that bandits have seized two trucks loaded with smuggled items inside the forest.
“We also understand that a J5 vehicle was also seized by the bandits around that axis,” he said.
The comptroller highlighted that the nation’s borders were excessively permeable, posing a challenge for customs surveillance, particularly in areas where bandits were situated.
The comptroller announced that customs would be collaborating with other security agencies to close off all unlawful borders in areas such as Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi.
