Mr Chedi Wada, Comptroller, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone “B”, Kaduna has lamented that smugglers have been using fake presidential number plates to deliver vehicles across the country.

According to Wada, they have also been dubiously using such fake number plates belonging to various states and local governments, MDAs, Emirate Councils and other governmental institutions.

Wada disclosed this when he received Bashir Rabe-Mani, NAN Zonal Manager (ZM) in Kaduna Zonal Office, who paid him a courtesy call.

He said, ”Customs will not relent and will continue to do its best by not allowing smugglers to use the old tactics of using the presidential number plates and other governmental institutions to smuggle luxurious vehicles into the country.

”This is one of the menaces we are having. It is saddening how vehicle smugglers are ridiculing the apex seat in the country by using presidential fake plate numbers using them on newly smuggled cars to deceive customs.”

According to him, customs are well trained personnel and can easily identify fake numbers and cannot be played by the old tricks.

The comptroller said, “We are not happy with them, it is too bad for them to be playing with the presidency, that’s why we always put a heavy hammer on those using the presidency on false instances on smuggled vehicles.

“Let them respect the presidency, we must respect the presidency.”