The on-going partial closure of land borders across four geo political zones in the country has led to increased desperation by smugglers who are now diverting their activities to seaports, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said on Wednesday.
At a media briefing by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) on seized containers at Area 11 Command, Onne, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the NCS disclosed that it had made a total seizure of 87 containers with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of One Billion, One Hundred And Seven Million, Seven Hundred And Twenty–Eight Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-Four Naira and Sixty-Nine Kobo (₦1,107,728,944.69) from 1st January 2019 to date.
According to NCS, the seizures included:
- 20 container of tomatoes with a total DPV of ₦272,261,026.69
- 10 containers of vegetable Oil worth the sum of ₦58,380,528.00
- 34 containers of roofing tiles amounted to the sum of ₦505,687,096.00
- 11 containers of expired rice totalling the sum of ₦102,352,800.00
- 1 container of machetes with a total DPV of ₦36,347,786.00
- 9 containers of expired vegetable oil and jam worth the sum of ₦117,614,232.00
- 1 container of expired baby wipes with a total DPV of ₦9,041,714.00
- 1 container of scrap metal amounting to the sum of ₦6,043,780.00
While commending officers in Area II Command, Onne Port Harcourt for a good job, Ali added that these seizures were “in line with the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP C45 LFN 2004, Sections 46 and 161.
“Let me reiterate our concern and determination to do all it takes to protect the wellbeing and safety of all citizens and residents by preventing the devastating effect of these hazardous importation and smuggled items. They endanger our lives as Nigerians hence will not be allowed to find their ways into the markets.
As a responsible Agency, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will not disappoint on its mandate of enforcing compliance by maintaining zero tolerance to smuggling activities, irrespective of whoever is involved and under whatever circumstance.
Let me assure you that a thorough investigation will be conducted with a view to bringing all connected to justice.
We shall continue to apply stringent sanctions on any act capable of compromising our efforts towards achieving better efficiency in the discharge of our mandate.
“The Command’s revenue collection of eighty-nine billion, seven hundred and fifty-four million, eight hundred and seventy-eight thousand, two hundred and sixty-four naira, and eighteen kobo (₦89,754,878,264.18) from 1st January 2019 to date is commendable”, the comptroller-General added.
