
Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi on Monday announced that the agency intercepted 9 containers bearing offensive items including arms, ammunition, illicit drugs and secondhand clothing with total duty paid value of N13,915,710,000.00
Speaking to Newsmen in Onne, River State on Monday 1st of July 2024, the Customs boss announced that one of the containers, a 40-footer container with numbers; MAEU165396 which originated from Turkey, a destination that became a subject of interest for the Nigeria Customs Service.
Adeniyi also said a thorough examination of the container revealed the following alarming contents include Eight Hundred and Forty-Four (844) units of rifles One Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Five Hundred (112,500) pieces of live ammunition.
A breakdown of the seizure includes 764 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles 10 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles 50 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles.
20 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles Exclusive Series, Sterling High-Quality Live Ammunition 34g – 25 Plastic Shotgun Shells (70MM).
The rifles and ammunition according to the customs boss, were concealed using various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags.
The duty-paid value of the single container is N4,171billion.
Adeniyi said that three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure.
“We have followed its sail across continents, and we have benefitted immensely from credible information through our collaboration with intelligence communities both at local, national and international levels.
“The importer tried to circumvent our procedure throught the outlet of a private bonded terminal.”
On Friday 21st of June 2024, the auspicious container was subjected to thorough physical examination.
In a related development, the Customs boss disclosed that officers of the command, through synergy, collaboration, and intelligence sharing, on Saturday, 29 June 2024, intercepted yet another 8×40-foot container on transit to a bonded warehouse from Onne Port.
The containers had numbers TCKU6879285, CMAU5985012, CMAU7515384, CMAU4297020, SEKU5488437, BMOU4363156, MRKU4616024, and MRSU3068928.
Upon examination, it was discovered that six of the containers were laden with
1,050,000 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine (100ml), and 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol Benzhexol Tablets (5mg) while the duty-paid was put at N9.6billion.
Two other containers were laden with 720 bales of used clothes With duty-paid valued at ₦144million.
The total duty-paid on the nine displayed containers was N13.9billion.
Speaking further, Adeniyi said the licences and permits issued for the operation of all the warehouses and terminals as well as those of their Customs Agents involved in these cases have been suspended pending the determination of their involvement.
He also said that Customs Officers who are found complicit in the perpetration of these nefarious acts would be heavily sanctioned in a manner that would be approved by the Board of the Nigeria Customs Service.
He said officers who kept faith with the oath of allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and refused to be bribed into releasing these containers will be adequately rewarded in a manner provided by the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“Let me warmly commend the professional commitment of the Customs Area Comptroller Onne Port, Mohammed Babandede and through him his officers and men, for the meticulous approach deployed for this operation. I also acknowledge our various partners, local and international who provided us the much-needed information to successfully prosecute this operation.
“Finally, this seizure serves as a strong warning to others who may be contemplating similar misadventures, my message to them is simple; we will run you out of business. The Nigeria Customs Service, under my leadership, will not tolerate any action that compromises the economy and security of our beloved nation,” Adeniyi said.