The Joint Border Drill codenamed ‘Exercise Swift Response’ has recorded seizures worth about N11 billion in the last one year.
The joint border drill is made up of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), in collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other security and intelligence agencies.
The drill, which began on August 20, 2019 is coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The Public Relations Officer of the drill, Mr. Joseph Attah who revealed the seizures in a statement to mark one year of the exercise in Abuja on Tuesday, disclosed that the seizures included 134,042 bags of parboiled foreign rice, 9,600 bags of NPK fertilizer, 1,791 vehicles, 3,565,461.9 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 5,007 drums filled with PMS.
Other items seized are 68,436.3 Jerricans of PMS, 130 engine boats, 847 motorcycles, 17,212.6 Jerricans of vegetable oil, 813 packs of Tramadol and 274 bags of cannabis.
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The statement further disclosed that 1,243 irregular immigrants and 622 suspected smugglers were arrested within the year under review.
The drill spokesperson pointed out that the exercise had equally made it more difficult for terrorists and other criminals to acquire arms and ammunition, while criminal elements now found it hard to get into the country through the land and maritime borders.
“Exercise Swift Response has also boosted production of agricultural products, especially local rice, tomatoes, maize, and poultry among others.
“And this has stimulated the growth of the agricultural sector and economy.
“Today, Nigeria is fast attaining self-sufficiency in rice production as the border drill has drastically reduced rice smuggling into the country and catalysed rice production by farmers across the country.
“Millions of direct and indirect jobs have been created. Huge amount in foreign exchange that previously went into rice importation saved. The rice farmers in the country are now venturing beyond rice cultivation to milling, packaging and marketing,” the statement read in part.
