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Customs Corner

Nigeria Customs Intercepts Arms, Ammunitions in Lagos, Arrests Suspects

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Author: Lucy Nyambi.

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has intercepted a total of thirty-one (31) rifles and ammunition concealed in plastic drums and sacks of charcoal within the first two weeks of July 2023.

The Ag. Comptroller General of the Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, who is on a working visit in Lagos, made this known at a press briefing held in the State on Monday, 17th July 2023.

He stated that the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) in a joint operation with the Nigeria Police, Department of State Security, DSS and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA carrying out a 100% examination of a 1x40ft container on the 5th of July, 2023 at the Ports & Terminal Multiservices Limited, uncovered ten (10) dangerous arms and ammunition concealed inside a plastic drum.

A breakdown of the concealed items includes Three (3) new Pump Action Rifles and one new unit of an armed Rifle, Six (6) new different types of pistols including one new millennium G2 pistol; one (1) new sarsilmaz SAR-9X pistol; one (1) new Lugger Security-9 pistol; one (1) new Taurus Banbridge G3C pistol; one new SCCY CPX-2 pistol, and one (1) new Taurus (63 pistol). Others include fourteen (14) empty magazines and 442 rounds of live ammunition.

The Customs Boss noted that 2 suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizure.

He said, “The clearing agent, Mr Shokunbi Olanrewaju of Shooler Global International Limited and Mr Joseph Nwadiodor, who was expected to take delivery of the Container, are currently detained as suspects in connection with the seizure.

In the same vein, the Tincan Island Port Command of the Service, within the same period, while acting on credible intelligence; subjected a 1x40ft container to 100% physical examination with the relevant security Agencies at the ports.

According to the Ag. CGC, the physical examination uncovered 18 arms, packets of cartridges and rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums.

Details of the seizure include:
6 different makes of pistols namely: two (2) Sar9 Sarsilmarz Pistols; one (1) Ruger American Pistol and three (3) Taurus G3c – Bainbridge Pistols).
Twelve (12) different makes of riffles namely; five (5) Rz17hd Rifles; one (1) Gamo Rifle, five (5) Pump Action Rifles and one (1) Rz17 Tactical Rifle).
Ten (10) packets of cartridges.
Two (2) packets of 9mm ammunition.
One hundred (100) rounds of 9mm Winchester ammunition. One (1) carton of Frontier cartridges and
Two (2) packets of Buckshot ammunition.

“Again, during a routine Patrol along Owode/Ajilete Axis of Ogun State by Officers of the Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2, on Wednesday 12 July 2023, intercepted an unregistered Toyota Camry loaded with six sacks of charcoal, which was used to conceal three (3) pump action riffles with 174 live cartridges”. The Customs Boss revealed.

“The driver of the vehicle who knew the content he was conveying vis-a-vis the attendant consequences of his action before the law; jumped into the bush and escaped arrest”. He noted.

“Investigation into the seizures is inconclusive. The outcome of our investigations together with the seizures will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and prosecution”. He added.

He reiterated the services’ resolve to tackle the economic and security menace caused by recalcitrant traders.

“Let me state at this point that the Service has re-strategized its operations, while our Officers have raised their levels of professionalism, we have re-injected new tactics to tackle the economic and security menace caused by recalcitrant importers and their agents. The Services’ human resources and logistics are collectively harnessed to combat and prevent economic sabotage”, he said.

He implored importers and agents to be patriotic by making sincere declarations, and be properly guided by the import/export prohibition lists, while also urging the public to see security as a collective responsibility.

“We will appreciate information of illegal importation and cross-border movement of dangerous weapons used to create mayhem in our nation”, he concluded.

Customs Corner

Apapa Customs Sets New Benchmark, Records All-time N1.5 Trillion in 9 Months

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Apapa Customs Sets New Benchmark, Records All-time N1.5 Trillion in 9 Months

By Femi Anamelechi

Comptroller Babatunde Olomu in charge of the Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command has announced an all time highest revenue collection of N1.5 trillion from January to September 2024.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) made the announcement during a parade at the command on Wednesday, 11 September 2024.

He said the outstanding fit was made possible because of the meticulous documentation and professional discipline by officers and men of the Apapa Customs Area Command.

 

He praised the officers’ for their resilience, commitment and professionalism, while also charging them to do more. “We must surpass this achievement. We cannot afford to relax.”

The CAC assured that the service will continue to reward diligence, commitment and dedication to duty by officers.

Speaking shortly after the parade, Comptroller Olomu reiterated that the command’s outstanding performance in revenue generation was a result of the motivation and rewards system introduced by the command for officers who performed creditably.

“The excellent revenue generation of officers we recorded is as a result of blockage of all revenue generating leakage and proper documentation of payments by officers who were adequately motivated”, he stated.

He therefore, admonished officers in different categories to always strive for excellence in carrying out their statutory duties.

The CAC expressed the appreciation of Apapa Area Command to the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi and his management team for leading by example.

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Customs Corner

Four Officers Honoured for Exceptional Performance in Customs Airport Cargo Command 

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As Comptroller Awe Reaffirms CGC’s Dedication to Recognition

Author: Abass Quadri

Comptroller Michael Awe, in charge of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Cargo (MMIAC) Command, has recognised four officers for their excellent performance in executing their duties.

The officers were honoured during a parade at the Command on Wednesday, 11 September 2024.

Addressing the Officers and men of the Command, the CAC stated that the recognition, which will be done monthly or quarterly, is part of the CGC’s commitment to rewarding hardworking officers.

“There are four officers here, each representing one month from May to August 2024, who will be given letters of recognition today. The letters have reached the Office of the Zonal Coordinator, and he will send them to headquarters,” the CAC said.

Regarding the Command’s revenue generation efforts, Comptroller Awe noted that more than N16 billion has been collected so far. He appreciated the senior officers for their support, acknowledging that this success could not have been achieved alone.

The recognised officers include CSC Itinu Jimoh, CSC Moses Aboki, SC Jidda Aliyu, and IC Sanni Mohammed.

The officers expressed their excitement and gratitude to the CAC for recognising their efforts.

According to CSC Aboki, “The CAC has assured us that we do not need to harbour any fears. Henceforth, we will conduct more thorough examinations, as it is through this that we can detect illicit or underpaid items.”

The parade concluded with a free eye test provided by Poise Eye Care Limited.

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Customs Corner

Finance Minister Presides Over 60th Regular Customs Board Meeting

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Highlights Government Efforts to Ease Nigeria’s Cost of Living

Author: uhammad Bashir.

The Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, on Tuesday, 10 September 2024, presided over the 60th regular board meeting of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The meeting, which he held at the newly built NCS headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, was said to be the first of its kind since the commissioning of the edifice by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

The Minister expressed his satisfaction with the board’s adherence to the decision to meet quarterly, describing it as an essential aspect of corporate governance.

He stressed that regular meetings and updates on financial performance were crucial for any government agency seeking to meet its objectives that impact positively on the citizens.

He highlighted further, “I think that board meetings serve as an important part of corporate governance and corporate governance is key to running an organisation efficiently as well as provide the necessary direction and management to keep government policies on track.”

The Minister also applauded the integrity and transparency of CGC Adeniyi, noting that the principles guiding the board’s operations were exemplary with a commitment to achieve laudable objectives and tenets to run an organisation like the NCS.

The Minister, who stressed the importance of collaboration between various ministries and the private sector, said the Nigeria Customs Service Board includes representatives from the ministries of Trade and Investment, Foreign Affairs, and Finance, as well as members of the organised private sector.

This congregation, according to Edun, “Ensures that critical national issues are thoroughly discussed and implemented in a timely manner”.

While filing questions about his feelings, he was the first Minister and NCSB Chairman to have chaired a meeting at the newly built NCS Corporate Headquarters, the Hon. Minister took the opportunity to commend the Customs Service on the achievement.

He said, “I congratulate the Nigeria Customs Service on this achievement of not just building a new edifice, but actually moving into it, making use of it, and keeping it very neat and tidy, and I pray for the success of all those who work at the new facility.

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