The Nigerian customs service says present security challenges along areas close to the border in katsina, zamfara and sokoto states are hindering effective patrols in those areas.
The comptroller of customs federal operation unit zone B. stated this in katsina during a parade of seized items worth two hundred and seven million naira.
Recently, armed bandits launched an attack on one of the operation points of the Nigerian custom at Batsari but fortunately no one was harmed.
Most of the routes used by the smugglers pass through very remote and dangerous terrains which atimes also run across identified hideouts of bandits
Records of seizures made in the month of May and parts of June include bags of rice spaghetti sugar and cars.
Katsina state and zamfara land borders have remained difficult terrains for the officials of the Nigerian custom despite the regular arrests and seizures made.
The Rice Farmers association in katsina state worried that the unchecked activities of rice smugglers is negatively affecting rice farming in Nigeria.
And while customs officials continue to make arrests, smugglers also devise newer ways of concealing smuggled goods in order to beat the security operatives.
