The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)

  • ‘Seized vehicles in Kano not linked to any Senator’

    Mr. Joseph Attah, Acting Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Customs Service(NCS), says the ongoing investigation on the seized vehicles in Kano state has not been linked to any Senator.

    Attah announced this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Attah said the allegation was false and capable of misleading the general public.

    “Since this is capable of misleading the public into wrong insinuations, it is imperative to state the fact that the operatives of NCS Compliance Team, based on credible intelligence, trailed the movement of some smuggled vehicles from Maigatari, Jigawa State, to a house at Magaji Rumfa, GRA Kano.

    “On Feb.7, 2017,  some 11 vehicles, 10 Hilux and one Land cruiser jeep were retrieved from the house at Magaji Rumfa GRA, Kano and taken for detention at the Headquarter of Customs Area Command Kano.

    “The Customs officers discovered there were no occupants in the house, hence the gate was forced opened to retrieve the smuggled vehicles.

    “The investigation into the smuggling of the vehicles is still on to establish the true owner.

    “It is clear that whoever introduced the Senator angle to the story is out for pure mischief and does not represent the position of the service on this issue,” Attah said.

    He called on Nigerians to discountenance the false and misleading report.

     

  • Customs seizes 5,056 cartons of fake drugs in Lagos

    Customs seizes 5,056 cartons of fake drugs in Lagos

    …Ali urges agents to shelve proposed strike

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has impounded truckloads of 5,056 cartons of fake drugs imported into the country by some scrupulous importers.

    The fake items were intercepted at Idiroko border, Sango Otta axis and Lagos/ Ibadan expressway by the officers and men of the Federal Operation Unit (FOU) ,  Zone ‘A’  Ikeja, Lagos.

    Addressing reporters at Federal Government warehouse in Lagos yesterday, its Comptroller-General Col. Hameed Ali said the seized items were inimical to the health of the country because they do not have official NAFDAC number

    The fake drugs, the CGC said, has a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N252.6 million.

    The DPV excluded the market value of the drugs that runs into several millions of naira.

    Majority of the fake items, Ali said, were imported from China and India by the scrupulous importers who are at large.

    Some of the seized items included REALLY EXTRA with effective relieve from pain and fever inscribed on its cartoons; Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablet (Royal) of 225mg and Tramadol Caps of 120mg each.

    The Customs boss said that the drugs which came in various milligrams and different packages were impounded because they fall under the import prohibition list.

    “These are dangerous drugs which mostly our youths take as a way of relieving their stress. They are not drugs meant for consumption. They are completely under prohibition yet these things still find their way into the country. The drugs reduce youths to nothing and anybody who keeps taking these drugs will not be useful to himself and the society,” he said.

    Ali expressed concern at the spate of smuggling of unregistered drugs and other contraband goods in to the country despite severe consequences for offenders.

    “We are profiling those involve in the importation of this drugs and the law will take its course. I can’t imagine that a Nigerian for the sake of money decide to bring this type of drug into the country.
    “When people say Customs is disturbing us on the road, we cannot but do what we are doing. We need to have the three layers of defence in order to accost this type of thing. Otherwise, if we limit it to only the port or the borders, a lot of these things we find their way in to the country.
    “We are not deliberately harassing people but we are trying to secure and protect the society which is one our mandate to make sure that everyone is protected .

    “I also agree that our officers are compromising otherwise this things will not find their way here. So it is realization of this compromise of our officers that will have to put layers of defence. If you compromise the first layer, you will not be able to compromise the second layer or third layer. This is what we will continue to do until Nigerians begin to realise that things like this are inimical to our own progress and health and dangerous to our economy,” he said.

    He said while some suspects have been arrested, investigation is ongoing to bring to book others involve including officers in the importation of the drugs.

    Ali, therefore, calls on the media and Nigerians to provide the Service with useful information that will help nip smuggling of prohibited drugs and other contraband in the bud.

    One of the drug laden trucks intercepted by Customs has AW 265 XJ as its registration number.

    In a related development, Col Ali  has also appealed to the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) to shelve its proposed strike.
    Ali made the appeal when he visited the national secretariat of the group in Lagos, yesterday.

    ANALCA had issued a 21 day strike notice to the Federal Government  over extortion of its members at the ports.

    Col  Ali however, assured the group that the challenges facing the clearing agents are not unknown to the government and that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is working round the lock to address the problems.

    The Customs boss, who arrived at the ANLCA secretariat to kick-start his meeting with freight forwarding associations also appealed to the association to shelve the 21 days strike notice which it had issued last week to the Federal government, over extortion of its members at the port.

    He assured that the customs is working on addressing the challenges raised by the agents even as he assured that the decisions would be appreciated by President Muhammadu Buhari.
    “I want to appeal to you as the Customs CG and the Buhari administration  to please exercise some patience on your strike notice, I can assure you that with this new synergy, the challenges will be tackled, we would do something” he said.

    Col Ali also urged the agents to be his “eyes and ears” in the industry, stressing that the Customs and the agents are partners in progress.

    In his speech, the National President of ANLCA; Prince Olayiwola Shittu pointed out  the challenges militating against quick cargo clearance at the port.

    The challenges, according to him, include: multiplicity of alerts, FOU interception of cargoes, the need for uniformed value on vehicles and challenges associated with ETLS cargoes among others.

    He lamented the multiplicity of check points along the border stations and clearance desks mounted at the ports by Customs officers to frustrate genuine importers from doing their jobs as required by law.

    Shittu therefore, urged Customs to embrace paperless transactions (single window platform) as it is done in other clime to facilitate trade and reduce corruption.

  • Customs’ C-G wants clearing agents to reduce delay in cargo clearance

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has advised clearing agents to collaborate with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to fight corruption and reduce delay-time  in cargo clearance at the ports to facilitate trade.

    The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, gave the advice when he visited the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) headquarters in Lagos.

    Ali said that if the agents had a fruitful synergy with the NCS, it would put an end to all the challenges militating against their operations at the ports.

    He assured the clearing agents that the service would organise a stakeholders’ meeting that would be attended by selected leaders of the associations to proffer solutions to problems affecting seamless cargo clearance at the ports.

    “I am appealing to the clearing agents to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his agenda to stop corruption and I hope our meeting would bring positive results to our operations.

    “I am also appealing to both  the NCS officers and the clearing agents to always search their consciences  and ensure they do the right things at all times,” Ali said.

    He said that the service would look into the complaints of multiple check points.

    Ali said that apart from delaying cargo movement, the check points had assisted the service to intercept 661 riffles and other seizures due to lack of proper examination at the ports.

    According to him, if Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) is well documented, the system will not reject it.

    He urged clearing agents to engage in honest declaration to avoid their documents being queried.

    The C-G acknowledged the need for continuous enlightenment on Customs’ cargo processing to assist both operators in removing all the teething problems militating against 48-hour cargo clearance at the ports.

    The National President of ANLCA, Mr. Olayiwola Shittu, urged the management of NCS to assist the agents in solving challenges affecting cargo clearance at the ports.

    Shittu said that the operations of clearing agents and the NCS were related, saying that trading zone operation, which is where they process documents for PAAR,  was affecting cargo clearance.

    Shittu pleaded with NCS to stop duplication of PAAR documentation, saying which led to additional payments in clearing goods at the ports.

    He advised the NCS boss to also stop multiple alerts by some officers at the examination units as well as locking of Customs pin numbers.

    Shittu said that the NCS should sanction dishonest shippers found to be engaging in false declaration and not agents who assisted in clearing cargoes.

    He suggested that the service should look forward to a new system of cargo clearance to stop extortions by both parties.

    Shittu said that “ANLCA, Nigeria is the regional headquarters of International Customs Brokers and it keeps abreast of information on cargo clearance around the world.

    “I will like the NCS management and some members of our association to visit Ghana to observe how their Customs’ operate while clearing vehicles at the ports.

    “Ghana’s revenue on vehicles received a 60 per cent boost in a year of operating seamless method of clearing vehicles from their ports,” he said.

    Shittu, however, said the association would support the NCS in fighting against corruption and facilitate trade at the nation’s ports. 

     

  • Senate probes N4trillion revenue leakage in Customs

    Senate probes N4trillion revenue leakage in Customs

    The Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff, has commenced investigation into over N4trillion revenue leakage in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) between 2006 and 2016.

    Chairman of the committee, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, disclosed this in an interview with reporters in Abuja. Uzodinma vowed that his committee would stop at nothing in recovering the money.

    Preliminary investigation by the committee, he said, revealed that the N4trillion leakage was as a result of various forms of infractions including abuse and non-implementation of Form M (foreign exchange form).

    He noted that other factors that may have been responsible for the leakage could have been wrong classification of cargo under harmonized system codes, non-screening of cargoes coming into the country and lack of adequate ICT infrastructure for revenue collection.

    Uzodinma said that cancellation of pre-arrival assessment reports, abandonment of single goods declaration may also have been responsible for the leakage.

    He said, “The Senate Committee on Customs has condemned the inability of the technical committee on the implementation of comprehensive import supervision scheme to ensure that the provisions of the Act are followed to the letter.

    “The committee frowns at the quantum of revenue losses and it will stop at nothing in ensuring that those involved in this ugly act would return all recoverable monies with them.

    “The committee also frowns at the level of collusion and corruption within the Customs Service.

    “At the end of our current investigation, all these will become a thing of the past and customs revenue will be enhanced and non-oil revenue will be improved upon.

    “What we are investigating is not money spent. It is the leakages.

    “For instance, I am supposed to pay XYZ amount of duty, I will abandon the documentation, go get fake documents, collude with customs, pay maybe a fraction of it and carry my goods. With that, the true import circle is not closed.

    “Another instance is that assessment is abandoned, or I fill the form M for example with a pro forma invoice, apply for foreign exchange in Central Bank, XYZ amount of money is allocated to me, money moves in but  no goods shipped.

    “I will then go get fake documents, collude with customs and then retire the allocation.”

    The committee chairman noted that this sharp practices, which also include round tripping and false declarations, had over time led to increase in the exchange rate. He said that it was also observed that in most cases, the amount of money spent was not commensurate with the volume of goods imported. According to him, his committee had started investigating activities of companies and banks indicted in the matter.

    He said, “We will not mention the companies involved because we are also very careful of the integrity and public perception of some of these companies, being that some of them are in the Stock Market.

    “We will be diplomatic in carrying out this investigation. This is to the extent that little or no damage will be done to the integrity and image of such companies provided that government revenues in their hands will be recovered.”

    He assured that investigation into the over N4 trillion leakage would be brought to a logical conclusion because it had to do with the economy and revenue loss.

    He further added that, “I am sure that the executive arm of government will be willing and interested to ensure that the monies that are littered here and there are recovered.

    “If they can pay up to five per cent to whistle blowers to recover money, it means in this case where no money is required or whistleblower required, they will be interested to do justice.”

    On the committee’s investigation into non-repatriation of proceeds from oil and non-oil products by Joint Venture companies, he said report on the investigation had been concluded.

    On the retrospective policy on payment of customs duties on old vehicles, Uzodinma noted that NCS overstepped its bounds by making policies rather than implementing them. The power to make policy for the service, he said, was vested in the Ministry of Finance.

    He said, “Having gone through the legislations and books available to my office as it has to do with the administration of the customs service, it only implements policies made by the Ministry of Finance.

    “So, it sounds very strange to hear that Customs gets up and says they are making a policy.

    “That is what I am yet to understand and there is no way to fathom that before the law.

    “The referral is already before us. I was waiting for him to appear before the senate before we commence a full blown investigation into some of those issues that have been referred to us.

    “Concerning the suspended policy on payment of customs duties on old vehicles, the committee will continue to interface with the service to ensure that the policy is cancelled not suspended.

    “The whole idea is about governance and governance is about the people and nobody is licenced or entitled to talk about the people more than the elected representatives.

    “So in my view there is no hullaballoo. We will discuss with them and wise reasoning will prevail,” he said.

     

  • Senate to Customs CG: You must appear Wednesday in uniform

    Senate to Customs CG: You must appear Wednesday in uniform

    …I won’t appear, says Customs CG

     

    The face-off between the Senate and the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) over retrospective duty payment of vehicles worsened Tuesday.

    The upper chamber insisted that the Custom’s boss must appear before it Wednesday in uniform.

    It described Ali’s letter requesting for a new date to appear as “an insult to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    The Custom CG had through an Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, one Abdulkadir Azarema, written to inform the Senate that he would not be available Wednesday as invited.

    The CG requested for a new date to appear claiming that Wednesday 15th, March 2017 he was scheduled to appear before the Senate coincided with the fortnight meeting of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) management.

    Apparently to show the disdain with which the Senate regarded the letter, Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, directed the Clerk to the Senate, Mr. Nelson Ayewoh, to read the CG’s letter.

    It read in part, “Letter from CG, Re: Invitation to brief the Senate. “I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter number Nass/CS/8S/R/09/29 of 9th March, 2017 on the above subject matter.

    “I am further directed to inform you that the date given to the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Wednesday 15th, March 2017 to brief the senate in plenary on the retrospective duty payment of vehicles in Nigeria as coincided with the fortnight meeting of the NCS management.

    “Consequently, the comptroller general is humbly requesting for a new date from the distinguished senate.

    “As we await your favourable response, please be assured of the highest regards and esteem of the Comptroller General of Customs. Signed Azarema A. Assistant Comptroller General, headquarters for Comptroller General of Customs”

    Hardly had the Clerk concluded reading the letter when Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, described the excuse given by the CG for new date to appear before the Senate as frivolous.

    Senator Lawan wondered why the CG did not take personal interest to write the Senate but chose a mere assistant comptroller of Customs

    The Yobe North lawmaker however prayed the Senate to give the CG a new date since “two wrongs does not make a right.”

    Lawan said, “First, the excuse for not appearing Wednesday is because it coincided with routine fortnightly meeting of the management of the Nigerian Customs Service. My opinion is that, that does not take precedence on the invitation by the Senate.

    “Secondly, the letter was signed by someone else not the CG. My opinion is that a letter coming to the Senate from the Customs especially an invitation was written for the Customs CG to appear here; he should have taken personal interest to write that letter and signed it. That would have given, in my judgement, some sense of respect for the institution (of the Senate) not for us.

    “I feel slighted and am sure everybody feels the same. However, let me add that this Senate should, if possible oblige the request for the extension to show that we are different. Let’s take him on Thursday if he is saying he can’t be available tomorrow. Two wrongs would not make a right if it is possible. I know we feel hurt but whether it is live coverage or not Nigerians have interest in this and Nigerians will like to listen to the responses and explanations of the CG of Customs.”

    Senator James Manager, (Delta South) disagreed with Lawan insisting that integrity of the Senate was being tested.

    Senator Manager said, “The integrity of this senate is being tested. I want to inform you all particularly those who are first timers here, before you came there was this Senate and Senate remains the same and we have gone very far in terms of building this institution.

    “I have been here since 2003 and so many powerful and great men have passed through this particular chamber and therefore when letters like this are coming from executive bodies, Senate must take a very firm stand.

    “I disagree with my leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan with the greatest possible respect. If the CG had written and signed by him and then going further if he had established personal contact with the President of the Senate through the chairman of the Senate committee on Customs then that would have been understandable.

    “But the man has somebody else to sign this letter to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria this is very significant, an arm of government although  the House of Representatives is there but this is the highest lawmaking body of this country and somebody like CG writing a letter and signed by somebody else.

    “Certainly this is not a matter of two wrongs not making a right. Believe you me, the Comptroller General of Customs must appear tomorrow and the reason he gave that his invitation here is coinciding with a small meeting that is taking place over there.

    “A meeting that is not beyond his control as a human being but this is Senate of the Federal Republic and the man is saying that because of that reason Senate should defer.

    “I think this is an insult of the highest order. I think I met a very powerful Senate in 2003 and the Senate remains the same up till today and by the grace of God when I am leaving here I want to leave behind a very powerful Senate so that while over there I will be proud of the Senate that I left behind.

    “As we speak there are so many products of this place who are listening and who are also itching for action and to some that we don’t go below the standards they left behind. The comptroller general  must appear in uniform tomorrow and anything short of that certainly is not acceptable to me and I want to believe is not acceptable to all the senators and what is not acceptable to all the senators is not acceptable to all Nigerians.

    Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi also explained that the position of the Custom CG was an insult on the Senate and ‘we are not taking it lightly.”

    Abdullahi noted that the subject matter for which the CG was invited was dear to Nigerians.

    He insisted that the Senate was prepared to stop any policy that impinges on the welfare of Nigerian.

    The lawmaker who said that Customs boss was taking Nigerians for granted added Nigerians were being asked to pay for the inefficiency of NCS.

    He said that the policy is anti-people and must be shelved.

    Saraki in his ruling said that Senator Lawan spoke the way leaders are meant to speak in trying to see how best to move forward ‘but again we are all guided by the general view and opinion and integrity of this institution.

    “I think it is clear and it’s a collective position as spoken by Senator James Manager. I don’t think there is need for us to prolong this issue. The position of the Senate is clear, he (CG) should appear tomorrow (today) as directed in uniform by the earlier resolution and we await to see him hereWednesday morning by 10:30am and after we finished because also tomorrow we have the Acting Chairman of EFCC who is also appearing before us for screening Wednesday and it will follow at 11:30am.”

     

     

  • Customs intercepts container of Tilapia fish from Turkey

    The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has intercepted a 40ft container of frozen Tilapia fish valued at N22.1 million imported from Turkey.

    The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Muhammad Jibrin, said this on Monday when he led newsmen to APM Terminals, Apapa, where the container was intercepted.

    Jibrin said that the container No: DFOU6122880, was discovered during scanning.

    He said that the importer made a false declaration that the container was laden with apples.

    “Upon scanning, officers discovered the container was containing 2,700 cartons of frozen Tilapia fish from Turkey.

    “The aforementioned fish species is under restriction.

    “More so, importers of allowable species of fish are expected to obtain licence,  and permit before such importation into the country.

    “We have scanners that are working but most of the scanners are inadequate for operations,’’ Jibrin said.

    He said that the command had opened communication with Agriculture and Plant Quarantine Service and the National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in the spirit of collaboration.

    Jibrin said that the command had zero tolerance for smuggling and false declaration in line with the policy of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired Col. Hameed Ali.

    He said that the command would continue to uncover and stop any attempt at breaching the law as regards imports and exports transactions through the command.

    The controller, however, advised stakeholders relating with Customs service to be law-abiding “as no stone will be left unturned in enforcing government fiscal policy regulations’’.

    According to him, the command usually engaged stakeholders in interactive session monthly to ensure that both Customs and stakeholders remained committed to government’s policies relating to clearance of goods at the ports.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government on Thursday, noted that smugglers were beginning to flood the markets with harmful frozen fish illegally imported into the country through the land borders.

    The Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, said this at the Abuja Headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD).

    The minister said that those involved in the act were undermining the efforts of government despite the fish importation policy and ban on frozen farmed fish importation into the country.

    He said that the circulation of unhealthy fish and fishery products in Nigerian market had resulted in grave health implications such as kidney disease and cancer.

    “It has become necessary for the Federal Government through the FMARD to address the Nigerian public on the sale of smuggled unhealthy frozen fish, especially farmed tilapia, in Nigeria.

    “These smuggled frozen fish are very harmful to the health of Nigerians” he said.

    The minister warned those involved in the illegal importation to desist, as anyone caught will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

    He said that the government had been collaborating with countries in the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria Customs Service, Maritime Police, Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Agriculture Quarantine Service.

    “The ministry is using this medium to warn all those involved, colluding, aiding and abetting these nefarious activities to stop or face the full wrath of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Importation of fish without licence attracts five-year imprisonment or a fine of $250,000, or both, in addition to forfeiture and destruction of the vessel and its products.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has put in place measures to arrest, detain and prosecute offenders as provided in the Sea Fisheries Act Cap S4 laws of the Federation 2004,’’ the minister said.

  • Ogun: Soldiers, Police repel attack on Customs headquarters

    Ogun: Soldiers, Police repel attack on Customs headquarters

    • One killed, four injured

    There were pandemonium and tension in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital as dozens of soldiers and anti – riot Policemen battled to repel a mob of drivers who were rushing to the Headquarters of Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Quarry road, Abeokuta, to raze it.

    The armed mob were protesting the killing of a colleague, Mr Saubanna ‘Onila,’ and injuring of four others by the Operatives of NCS who opened fire on them at the Kobape stretch of the Abeokuta – Sagamu road on Wednesday.

    And as the mob marched and chanted war songs carrying the corpse of Saubanna along quarry road to dump it at the Headquarters of the NCS, but they were promptly stopped by the soldiers and Police called in to help control the situation when the enraged mob approached the facility.

    For over an hour, business activities came to an abrupt end and residents of Quarry road area and visitors scampered to different directions for safety as the security men made effort to disperse the mob.

    The Nation learnt that drivers of five vehicles, each bearing bags of rice, had taken off at the popular Kuto market, Abeokuta, and were going to Sagamu when they ran into the NCS patrol team who chased them when they refused to stop for a search.

    It was gathered that in bids to arrest the suspected smugglers, the Customs patrol team aimed at the tyres and fired them but the bullets missed a target and struck Saubanna, lost control when he slumped on behind the steering and the vehicle tumbled to a side of the road.

    It was further gathered that his colleagues rescued him and rushed him to the hospital but he died on the way and in anger, they mobilised and staged a protest march to NCS Headquarters.

    A member of the mob who declined to mention his name, said: “We load from Kuto to Sagamu. We book N5,000 on each vehicle of rice. They shot at his tyre. Mazda 626. The car somersaulted and the guy was shot at point blank.

    “We are five each loaded 25 bags in each car. They accosted us at Sowo Village along Kobape road. The man Father of four children. Out of the five cars, three escaped, while one was fully loaded.”

    Reacting, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Usman Abubakar who with The Nation on phone, denied any shooting by the NCS Operatives.

    “One of our patrol teams went on routine patrol along Kobape, Sagamu interchange based on credible information that some smugglers were around that area so they went after the smugglers.

    “On sighting the Customs vehicle, the occupants of one of the vehicles started driving at high speed and in the process, ran into a ditch and the occupant of the vehicle got out ran away. Our men decided to tow the vehicle down to Abeokuta station.

    “There was no shoot-out with anybody, our men have no cause to shoot anybody, they are well trained and they operate according to international best practice.

    The police have been invited and the matter is under investigation by the customs and the police,” he said.

  • FG may reverse forex restriction of 41 items, says Customs

    FG may reverse forex restriction of 41 items, says Customs

    The Zonal Coordinator, Zone `A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Assistant Comptroller-General Monday Abueh, has said that the Federal Government may reverse the foreign exchange restriction placed on 41 items imported into the country.

    Abueh disclosed this in Ibadan during his familiarisation tour of Oyo/Osun Commands as part of his visits to Customs formations under his jurisdiction.

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), had on July, 2015, restricted 41 items, including vegetable oil, poultry products, cosmetics, plastic and rubber products, among others, from access to foreign exchange.

    The apex bank said the country had the capacity to produce those items locally.

    Abueh said that when government’s policies were rolled out, they were in the interest of the people, adding that Nigeria could not be enriching other countries by allowing some banned items into the country.

    He advised officers to be fully sensitised about implementing government’s policies anywhere they were posted to serve.

    Abueh urged officers to ensure non-passage of rice and vehicles into the country.

    He said that smugglers might be trying to make Oyo and other land borders their alternative routes since security at Idiroko and Seme was tight for them.

    The zonal coordinator said that the Comptroller-General, Retired Col. Hameed Ali and the Customs Management had redeployed officers to land borders’ commands to ensure that nothing escaped through all the routes in the areas.

    He also urged officers to learn excise operations to assist in cargo clearance.

    Abueh said his visit was meant to continue reminding officers about the Federal Government’s polices as well as the directive given by the comptroller-general to ensure security and protection of lives in the country.

    “Officers should be mindful of their duties and responsibilities as you embark on your primary assignment.

    “If you are careless in your duties and if you are caught, you will be held responsible for your action, ‘’ Abueh said.

    The assistant comptroller-general urged officers to ensure collection of duties on general goods coming through the borders.

    According to him, the language in the service nowadays is for officers to be knowledgeable about the operations of the service.

    Abueh urged officers to be willing to learn further, adding that without doing this, such officers would be having problems with operations.

    He, however, commended officers and men in Oyo/Osun command for being on top of their operations as they recorded tremendous seizures.

    “The numerous seizures had indicated that smuggling in this axis are high. That is why I am here to convey the comptroller-general’s message to officers to continue doing the good job.

    “Officers should ensure 100 per cent examination before approving document for delivery of consignment, because any mistake after clearance will not be acceptable by the service,” NAN quotes Abueh as saying.

    After inspecting the command’s warehouse, the zonal coordinator discovered that the warehouse was full to the brim with seizures of rice, vegetable oil, used tyres, second-hand vehicles and other items.

    Abueh said the Management of the NCS would request for officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ascertain the state of the edible items before destroying them to avoid environmental hazards.

    He warned smugglers to desist from unlawful operations and follow due process in clearing goods in order to avoid seizures.

    The Customs Area Controller of Oyo/Ogun, Comptroller Tope Ogunkua, disclosed that the seizures were intercepted over the years.

    Ogunkua said that the command’s warehouse was having dangerous odour due to some items like rice, which had expired in the store.

    He said that the command generated N14.8 billion between January and December 2016.

    Ogunkua said that the command’s target for 2016 was N19.3 billion but it had a shortfall of N4. 5billion.

    He said that command would not relent in its effort to suppress smuggling to the barest minimum. 

  • 2016: Customs generates N256.4bn from Tin-Can port

    2016: Customs generates N256.4bn from Tin-Can port

    The Tin-Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N256.4 billion revenue between January and December 2016.

    The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Yusuf Bashar, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Lagos by the
    Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr Uche Ejesieme.

    According to him, this is against N266.1 billion recorded in 2015.

    “This figure represents a marginal difference when compared with the figure for 2016, with a shortfall of less than N10 billion, attributable to some factors beyond the control of the command,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes the controller as saying.

    Bashar recalled that in 2016, the command intercepted a large quantity of arms and ammunition based on intelligence reports on Feb. 15, March
    7 and April 4, 2016, all handed over to Department of State Security (DSS)

    The controller said that there was infrastructural face lift of the office complex which hitherto was in deplorable state.

    He mentioned the establishment of a well-equipped clinic to serve the health needs of both officers and other members of the public.

    Bashar said there was an oversight visit by the Senate Committee on Customs to the command on October 27, 2016.

    He also recalled that the command seized 31 containers of rice, falsely declared as bread improvers/flavoured yeast Disodium on Aug.
    19, 2016.

    Bashar also recalled that the command intercepted 27 x 20ft containers of vegetable oil in 25 kg kegs at Emog Terminal on Nov. 3, 2016,
    another case of false declaration entered as disodium chemicals.

    He said that 1,395 cartons of Ready to Eat food preparations imported from India-such as Egusi Soup, Porridge Yam, Beans, Fried
    Rice, Jollof Rice, etc, were also intercepted by the command.

    According to Bashar, a spectacular interception of eight bags of unmanifested substances in one container, were seized.

    He said that the eight bags consisted of 200 fully compressed substances which were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement
    Agency (NDLEA) and later confirmed to be cocaine with a street value of N2 billion.

    The controller said that some suspects were handed over to Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for falsification of SON Conformity
    Assessment Programme (SONCAP).

    He also said that some expired medicaments and expired sweets were handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration
    and Control (NAFDAC) on Aug. 31 and Nov. 11, respectively.

    Bashar mentioned the establishment of an Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre with 320 work stations fully networked for
    training/retraining and capacity building of officers and other stakeholders.

    “The command’s remarkable performance during the period under review attracted eulogies and encomiums, especially from the Customs
    hierarchy.

    “These commendations which were communicated in four different letters at the instance of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired
    Col. Hammed Ali, gave testimony of the appreciation of the Service.

    “It is remarkable to state that at no time in the history of the Service has any command received four letters of commendation in a
    space of two months.

    “That to us is a milestone which the Command will sustain in the New Year and beyond,’’ NAN quotes Bashar as saying.

    He thanked the comptroller-general and his management team for providing effective leadership to the Service.

    The controller said, “The issue of integrity, transparency and due diligence which is encapsulated in the Change mantra of the CGC, has
    provided the needed impetus for the Service to thrive.’’

    He said that no Command or officer would like to be a weak link in the value chain.

    “ It, therefore, suffices to say that we are on our toes to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.

    “At the Tin-Can Island Command, we have resolved to consolidate on the gains and achievements of the past year and to do even more.

    “We are operationally ready to cope with whatever challenge that we might encounter in the New Year and beyond.

    “As a Benchmark Command, we are not leaving anything to chance in ensuring operational efficiency, ‘’ NAN quotes the controller as
    saying.

    He said that the command was determined to forge a better synergy and collaboration with the critical stakeholders and other sister agencies
    for the implementation of the fiscal policies of the Federal Government.

    According to Bashar, however, we wish to reiterate our zero tolerance for false declaration or other deliberate infractions.

    “In this regard, all areas of revenue leakages will be identified and blocked and any attempt by an importer or his agent to circumvent the
    process, will be viewed seriously.

    “We want to assure all honest declarants of our readiness to facilitate trade in line with global best practices.

  • Maritime stakeholders seek improved services in 2017

    Maritime stakeholders seek improved services in 2017

    Some maritime stakeholders have called on the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to improve its services in order to facilitate trade at the ports.

    The stakeholders told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday that the NCS needed, as a matter of urgency, to upgrade its scanners at the ports.

    They said most of the automated scanners in the ports had become obsolete and needed to be replaced.

    Mr Lucky Amiwero, President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agent (NCMDLCA), said it was not to remind the NCS on what to do as they knew what they ought to do.

    “There is a policy to conduct cargo examination via automated means by the use of scanners to ease service delivery and facilitate trade.

    “But today how many of those machines can the Customs rely on for examination.

    “We end up doing 100 per cent physical examination of cargoes in our ports, which for all intents and purposes delays operations,” Amiwero said.

    He explained that the NCS lacked the will to put progressive measures in place at the ports, adding that the NSC was not unaware of what needed to be done.

    Amiwero said that as players, it would continue to remind the NCS to make the sector responsive.

    Also speaking on the issue, Joe Nnamocha, a former executive of the Association of Nigeria Customs Licensed Agents (ANCLA), said that he expected the NCS to be proactive in 2017.

    “I wish to see a NCS that aids export trade to help the country bounce back in its revenue generation to shore-up the country’s dwindling crude oil fortunes.

    “Some of us who are making attempts to get into the export business have constraints put in place by the customs,” Nnamocha said.

    Mr Tony Uzum, the Managing Director of Kizito Maritime Agency LTD, said undue delays caused by officers not being at their duty post should be dealt with.

    “The attitude is common in bonded warehouses located outside Apapa.

    “Such delays in examining cargoes at bonded warehouses is rubbing negatively on the service of the NCS,” Uzum said.

    NAN reports that Prince Olayiwola Shittu, the ANCLA National President, had earlier called for a replacement of the scanners at the ports.

    Meanwhile, the NCS Public Relations Officer, Mr Wale Adeniyi, told NAN that the service would soon make public some measures it would take to improve its services in 2017.