• N9.58b arms, ammunition recovered in six years
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Port Command yesterday announced the seizure of imported illicit drugs worth N1.183 billion in four units of 40-foot containers through the Apapa Port, Lagos.
In a statement, the Relations Officer of the command, Usman Abubakar, yesterday night, three of the containers were seized at AP Moller Terminal, while the seizure of 236,783 bottles of cough syrup packed in 2,174 cartons in one container was made at Kachicares Bonded Terminal.
Also, its Area Controller, Babatunde Olomu said the seizure was made following the service’s zero tolerance for smuggling.
According to him: “On 11th of October 2024, our officers during a joint examination of 1×40 container number MRKU0377493 found prohibited CSP cough syrup in 34,800 bottles. The offensive importation was also found to have expired. The smugglers packed them in 174 cartons with 200 bottles per carton.
On the same day, he said, “during another examination in the same terminal, a 1×40 container TGBU8886020 was found to be laden with 39,700 bottles of DSP cough syrup packed in 100 bottles per carton.
Also, the Customs intercepted various arms and ammunition worth over N9.58 billion.
On August 8, this year, the Service said, in collaboration with its main partner, the Wildlife Justice Commission, conducted a joint enforcement resulting in the seizure of 9,493 kg of pangolin scales. The operation, carried out in two separate locations, represents the largest seizure of pangolin scales globally since January 2020.
Addressing reporters in Lagos yesterday, its Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi said the arms and ammunition were seized by the Service in the last six years.
The operation carried out by the Service in Kano/Kaduna, Adeniyi said, also yielded 2,293 tons of pangolin scales and led to two arrests while the Lagos operation resulted in the seizure of 7.2 tons of pangolin scales and two additional arrests.
A total of four persons, he disclosed, “were arrested in connection with these operations.”
The country, Adeniyi said, has faced unprecedented challenges in a bid to deliver the dividend democracy and good governance under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because of the illicit activities of smugglers and economic saboteurs .
But the Customs, in alignment with this administration’s progressive policies, Adeniyi said, has adopted fresh approach towards fulfilling our mandate of balancing revenue collection, facilitating trade and ensuring compliance with the relevant laws.
Between 2018 to date, the CGC said, the Service intercepted 20 major shipments containing a staggering 10,498 arms and 114,929 rounds of ammunition, with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N9.58 billion.
Adeniyi bemoaned the scale and sophistication of the smuggling activities, which he said, has grown more alarming, with 60 per cent of the seizures occurring in the past year alone.
According to Adeniyi, “unscrupulous elements seck to exploit our current economic situation, engaging in smuggling activities that threaten the very fabric of our society. From arms and ammunition to narcotics, from restricted pharmaceuticals to staple foods, and even to our precious fuel resources – the spectrum of illicit trade is vast and varied. What is even more disturbing is the fact that these activities have been linked to clusters of criminal networks that seek to cause hari to Nigerians.
The CGC said further that “the scale and sophistication of these illicit activities are alarming. Since 2018 the NCS has intercepted 20 significant shipments, comprising 10,498 pieces of various arms and 114,929 pieces of ammunition, with an estimated Duty Paid Value (DPV) of 9.58 billion Naira. Notably, 60% of these seizures occurred within the past year alone, This recent surge accounts for 34.67 per cent of the total DPV, 20.58 per cent of the arms seized, and a staggering 99.62 per cent of the ammunition intercepted over the six-year period.
These statistics, Adeniyi said, not only highlight the intensification of their efforts, “but also reveal the evolving tactics employed b,y smugglers attempting to breach our borders.”
In response to the escalating threat. Adeniyi said, the Service has “declared a state of emergency, particularly following significant seizures of restricted goods, including pharmaceuticals and medicaments. The intricate connections between these diverse smuggling activities and the networks facilitating them are now the primary focus of our strategic operations, such as Operation Whirlwind and Operation Swift Sting. These among other initiatives represent the multifaceted approach adopted by NCS to fortify our operations and safeguard Nigeria’s health and security interests.
Of particular concern, the Controller -General said, “is the alarming rise in wildlife trafficking, which not only threatens our biodiversity but also tarnishes Nigeria’s international reputation.”
The illegal trade in endangered species, especially pangolin scales, he added, “has positioned Nigeria as a key transit point in the global wildlife trafficking network. This illicit trade decimates our natural heritage, fuels transnational criminal networks as well as undermines our national security and economic stability.
“The embarrassment caused by these activities on the global stage is significant, potentially impacting our diplomatic relations and economic partnerships. It is imperative that we address this issue with the utmost urgency and commitment,” he declared.
On wildlife trafficking, Adeniyi said their efforts have yielded significant results in combating the illegal trade of endangered species.
On August 8, 2024, he said the Service, in collaboration with our main partner, the Wildlife Justice Commission, conducted a joint enforcement operation resulting in the seizure of 9,493 kg of pangolin scales. This operation, carried out in two separate locations, represents the largest seizure of pangolin scales globally since January 2020.
“The Kano/Kaduna operation yielded 2,293 tons of pangolin scales and led to two arrests. The Lagos operation resulted in the seizure of 7.2 tons of pangoiin scales and two additional arrests. A total of four persons were arrested in connection with these operations: two in Kano and two in Lagos.
These seizures, he said, “bring the total amount of pangolin scales intercepted by NCS and the Wildlife Justice Commission to nearly 20 tons since 2021, representing the loss of over 30,000 pangolin species. We acknowledge the crucial role of intelligence provided by our partners, which led to these successful operations,” Adeniyi said.
All the prohibited items seized by the Service were handed over to the relevant government agencies at the venue.
