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| The Customs officer standing over the dead man |
Nigeria Customs Service has tendered apology for the life of a Nigerian killed on Sunday at Sagamu interchange, Ogun State.
The Customs, in a press release issued from the office of the Comptroller-General, through the office of the Public Relation Office also promised to investigate and bring all officers involved in the killing to book.
Read full release:
Following the unfortunate incident on Sunday 17th February 2019 at Shagamu Interchange involving Operatives of the Federal Operations Unit Zone A, which led to the death of a fellow citizen, Mr. Godwin Agada Onoja, the Nigeria Customs Service has continued to maintain close contact with the bereaved family.
We are pained by this sad development and share the grief of losing a fellow compatriot in a seemingly avoidable circumstance. We are and will continue to take every necessary step that will cushion the pain associated with losing a dear one.
Consequently, the Comptroller-General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) has directed a thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the incident with the view to ensuring that justice is served. In line with this directive, the investigation panel headed by the Zonal Coordinator Zone A, ACG Kaycee Ekekezie has interrogated and detained four members of the patrol team.
The panel could not immediately conclude the investigation because the actual officer (ASCI Destiny Onebamho) whose riffle discharged is presently receiving medical attention as a result of attack following the unfortunate incident. He will face the panel as soon as he is fit to do so, to enable the panel to conclude the investigation and recommend appropriate action(s).
NCS is a reputable organization known for integrity and responsibility. In line with our corporate values, we will not shield any operative found wanting in this ongoing investigation. The Service appreciates the public concern and strong emotions drawn from the viral video with narratives that created various opinions.
Nigerians will recall that in 2017, the Service made public its investigation and dismissal of five (5) officers implicated in the illegal release of the 661-pump action rifles from Apapa Port. The dismissed officers were immediately handed over for prosecution alongside the importer and agent. A prosecution that is ongoing at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Lagos.
In the same vein, the ongoing investigation will be holistic including looking at the weapon handling skills and actions that must be taken by the Service to possibly prevent future occurrence.
We will continue to update the public details of every action taken in the handling of this unfortunate incident.
DC Joseph Attah,
Public Relations Officer,
For: Comptroller-General of Customs
One person was killed on Wednesday when Customs officials tried to intercept a smuggled truck-head, an official said.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) eventually impounded the military truck-head smuggled into Nigeria through Ebute Community along Ilaro-Oja border town situated in Yewa-South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The Ogun customs spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed this to journalists on Wednesday at a press statement. He said the interception of the truck followed a routine patrol based on credible intelligence.
“Officers of (the) Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun Command, on routine patrol based on credible intelligence at about 0830 hours, trailed a military truck-head smuggled into Nigeria and kept at Ebute Community,” Mr Maiwada said.
He explained that in an attempt to secure the said vehicle, some members of the community mobilized themselves by blocking the access road and started pelting personnel of the customs with stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks and other dangerous items.
“Considering the implication of such truck to national security, our officers resisted and called for reinforcement to cordon the area for the safe evacuation of the truck. Unfortunately, during the encounter, one of the hoodlums was shot at the upper part of his leg (pelvic girdle) and consequently died.”
The command’s spokesperson said normalcy has since been restored, with the intervention of police and military personnel, adding that the truck has been secured at the Customs House, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
“Finally, we wish to commend the patriotic role of our sister agencies, traditional leaders, eminent personalities and some host communities who have always partnered with us in our quest to effectively secure our nation.”
The comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Strike Force has once again intercepted unprocessed woods worth over N48million in Apapa.
The came barely a week after the strike force intercepted about 3420 bags of foreign parboiled rice smuggled into the country from Benin Republic.
Speaking to newsmen, the Zonal Commander, Zone A of the strike force, Salisu Asaba-Bullah said the unprocessed woods were on the way to be exported out of the country.
Asaba-Bullah who disclosed that the unprocessed woods fell under export prohibition list said the consignment have been seized and are presently under detention.
According to him,
“At about 1130 hrs of Tuesday, 3rd July 2018. A team of Headquarter: Strike Force led by ASCl Olaniyan, J. O and others intercepted 4 x 20 Containers with numbers: TRHU 361154-8, MRSU 017398-0, TRHU 336524-9 AND BSlU 299069-8 conveyed on lveco trucks with Reg. Nos LSD 507XS; JJJ 558XV; AGL 530 XA and one unmarked lveco truck respectively along Apapa Axis, suspected to be carrying uncustom goods.
“The Trucks were brought to Federal Operation Unit, Ikeja Government Warehouse where physical examination was conducted on the said containers and it revealed unprocessed wood. A seizure entry was made since unprocessed wood fall under export prohibition list.”
The Forestry Department had in 2016 said the maximum allowable dimensions of unprocessed woods for exports are length 30mm-350mm, width 50mm-360mm and thickness 25mm-345mm.
Also, exporters of unprocessed woods must have all the required permits including, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) certificate for exports, strict compliance with the provisions of the extant guidelines for non-oil exports, completion of Nigeria Exports Proceeds form and that of the customs service ,opening of letter of credit for buyers and repatriation of foreign exchange proceeds arising from the approval into the company’s domiciliary account in Nigeria, and all the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificate required for the establishment of any company.
The permit to all semi-processed and processed wood exporters, procedures, guidelines and documentation for export of semi-processed and processed wood exporters from Nigeria also includes letters of request from prospective buyers, evidence of permits from the state where the wood will be sourced, pre-visit to the factory site by relevant officers from the Federal Department of Forestry among others.
The critical aspect of the new requirements for wood exports is that the exporter must own a sawmill where these woods are processed to the required sizes for exports. This will add value and create employment opportunities for Nigerians.
THE Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has impounded 571 bags of foreign parboiled rice in 50 kilograms bags, each and 49 kegs of 25kg litres of vegetable oil with Duty Paid Value, DPV of N7.6 milion in one week.
The prohibited items were impounded around Bawe/Akere creeks by the headquarters joint patrol team on 24 hours patrol of the water-ways and creeks.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Emmanuel Tangwa, said the feat was achieved through the new strategies introduced by the Customs Area Controller, CAC, Sarkin Kebbi.
He noted that the Western Marine Customs boss expressed his determination to fight and suppress smuggling activities through the water-ways and therefore the Command will continue its 24 hours patrol of the creeks and the water-ways.
The CAC with a senior officer of Ogun Customs Command displaying the seized items before newsmen
He said the CAC enjoins the media and other stakeholders in the maritime industry to assist the command always with information and proper enlightenment of the public on the command’s anti-smuggling activities in the struggle of saving the country from the activities of the smugglers.
Wabote stressed that operations of the oil and gas industry were time sensitive adding that a shortened contracting cycle would cut the cost of projects considerably.
He noted that the SLA signed with the NLNG had improved the turn-around time of approvals between the two establishments, informing that the Board was working to sign a similar agreement with the Indigenous Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG).
In his comments,the Managing Director of ExxonMobil thanked the Executive Secretary for the wonderful initiatives he had introduced since assuming office a year and half ago. He stated that the OPTS members contributed in the development of the SLA and they will ensure compliance.
The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has promised to ensure salary increase for officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). Adeosun made the promise at the celebration of International Customs Day at the Customs Command and Staff College Gwagwalada, FCT on Friday in Abuja.
The theme of the event was “A secure business environment for economic development’’.
The minister was represented by the Ministry’s Director of Finance, Mrs Oladudumi Biosola.
Adeosun urged officers of the NCS to put in more efforts to rise above target in revenue drive.
She said that security of trade environment was central for business to proper, adding that security aspect of Customs role was as important as its revenue role.
“The theme of this year Customs day coincides with the current ease of doing business initiative of the Federal Government.
“We understand that the initiative is already yielding dividends based on the fact that we have improved by 24 points in the World Bank ranking system,’’ Adeosun said.
She commended the NCS for its remarkable success in ensuring national security in the past years.
According to her, seizure of arms .and ammunitions at the seaports were the possible indications that the Service is alive to its responsibilities.
The minister also pledged to give the NCS the required support to succeed.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, said that the Service had made steady progress in automation of its processes.
The Comptroller-General said in addition to these were other reforms aimed at ensuring a secured business environment.
Ali said that other ongoing reforms in the Service were repositioning it through strategic deployment, training and automation of Customs processes.
He said that clearance process through Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), fast track facility for compliant traders and the post clearance audit were aimed at reducing clearance time and cost.
“The minister has been working diligently on how to see the welfare of the NCS improves.
“We are presently working on the computation of figures and she is waiting for that figure.
“As soon that is made available, then, the decision between her and Mr President will determine what Customs gets.
“I assure all Customs officers that between the minister and the President, both are all ready to see that there is an improvement in welfare of NCS,’’ Ali said.
The Customs boss urged Nigerians to support indigenous businesses by patronising made in Nigeria goods to encourage local production and boost industrial base.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has intercepted 440 pieces of pump-action rifles at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos.
Lets recall that about three months ago, the Federal Operations Unit of the service had intercepted 661 pieces of pump action rifles at along Mile 2-Apapa Road, Lagos after they were cleared at the port.
Displaying the guns to newsmen on Tuesday at the Tin-Can Island Command of Customs, Monday Abueh, the Zonal Coordinator of Zone A, an Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, said the imports originated from Turkey.
The guns were concealed in a 20-ft container no PONU210024 (1) 22G1 carrying POP powder used for design of houses.
He said the container was intercepted following intelligence obtained by the command. Abueh said a suspect had been arrested in connection with the seizure. The service intercepted the container on Monday night and transferred it to its enforcement unit where other security agencies were called in for inspection.
“These are pump action of various designs intercepted based on intelligence report of the Tin-Can Island Customs under Controller Bashir Yusuf. He was able to make use of the intelligence report made available to him and the container was identified and intercepted,’’ the zonal coordinator said.
He described the controller as a quintessential officer, who had been contributing immensely to the success story of the service.
“There is no question of any officer releasing container here. It was intercepted even before declaration. We discovered that they used POP powder to conceal it in order to beat the Customs checks. As of the consignee, we are still keeping it under raps because investigation is still ongoing,’’ Abueh told newsmen.
“Prosecution of matters like this in Nigeria involves a lot of time to push out the culprits, but our lawyers have all it takes to prosecute those involved,” he added.
Also speaking, Yusuf noted that apart from the 440 pieces of pump-ction magnum brand, other accessories of the guns were found in the container. He also said Completely Knocked Down rifles were also found in the consignment.
According to him, some of the guns were manufactured in the U.S. and Italy but mainly imported from Turkey.
He said that some of the riffles were not assembled and a suspect had been apprehended in connection with the seizure.
“We have other accessories in this container, several parts dismantled but definitely to be reassembled. Investigations would go deeper so as to know where the factory for arms assemblage is located in Nigeria.
“The importer declared the consignment as Antisea and Cannule (Chemical Formula).
“Generally, anytime we have interception like this, it requires a lot of intelligence and profiling of importers.
“The 21st Century calls for that. You do not have to wait for things to start happening before you start working.
“POP is a very safe item to conceal weapons because it is not injurious to anyone. It is an attempt to distract customs officials, but whatever anyone might use, it would attract our attention,” the controller said.
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The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, says he will not honour the invitation of the Senate on Wednesday. Ali told State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, that his position was informed by the fact that the case is in court.
He said that since the matter was already in court, it would amount to contempt of court for him to appear before the upper chamber of the National Assembly as it had demanded.
“The case is in court already. Somebody has sued us. I have gotten my writ of summons and they said status quo ante should remain; which means nothing should be done until the court makes a pronouncement.
A private individual sued all of us; he wants an interpretation of the section that is in contention.
I don’t want to talk so that I am not held in contempt of court,’’ Ali said.
The Senate last Thursday turned back the comptroller-general for not appearing in Customs uniform.
Senators, by a voice vote, had directed him to return to the National Assembly on Wednesday, March 22, in proper uniform designated for the office of Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service.
The decision of the Senate followed a motion by Senator George Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East), who relied on Section 89 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and seconded by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.
Earlier, in his answer to the Senators, Ali had told them that he had no knowledge of any law compelling him to wear uniform. The senators want him to explain his action on the implementation of the controversial policy on payment of duty for old vehicles.
An Abuja-based lawyer Mohammed Ibrahim approached a Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order to restrain the National Assembly from compelling Ali from wearing uniform.
Ibrahim made copies of the process available to newsmen on Tuesday. The suit listed other defendants to include the Comptroller-General of NCS, the NCS, the Senate and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
The plaintiff is seeking a declaration of the court that the oversight functions of the National Assembly did not extend to compelling, mandating and enforcing the first defendant to wear uniform before performing his duties.
He is also seeking the court to declare that the first defendant, who is not a commissioned officer of the NCS, is not mandated by law to wear the service’s uniform.
Ibrahim further asked the court to declare if Ali’s appointment made pursuant to Sections 5 and 171 of the Constitution could be subjected to the provision of Customs and Excise Management Act or any other law.
The plaintiff, therefore, urged the court to decide whether the first defendant’s appointment, having been made pursuant to the provisions of the constitution, could be subjected to the provisions of other laws.
He also asked the court to explain whether there was any legal provision that prescribed the wearing of uniform as a condition precedent by the first defendant in view of his appointment under Section 171 of the constitution.
He asked the court to decide whether the first defendant, not being commissioned custom officer, could be mandated to wear the service’s uniform for the performance of the duties of Comptroller-General.
The plaintiff further urged the court to decide whether every directive or power hitherto exercised by the first defendant while not in uniform was null and void.
Ibrahim had also asked the court to decide whether, in view of Section 88 (1) of the constitution, the senate could summon the first defendant having not published a resolution to that effect.
The defendants are mandated to, within 30 days after service of the originating summons on them appear in court
The Senate has asked the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), to come back on Wednesday in uniform. The lawmakers said as the chief executive of the security outfit, Ali should lead by example.
The Customs boss had appeared before the Senate on Thursday, after he failed to show up on Wednesday as initially scheduled. He also came in mufti despite the insistence of the lawmakers that he should appear before it in uniform.
His failure to show up had angered the lawmakers, and they compelled him to appear today (Thursday).
When asked by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu why he failed to appear before the lawmakers in uniform as requested, Ali said the Senate did not state in its last letter to him that he should appear in uniform.
Your letter didn’t say I should appear in uniform, Ali tells Senate Ekweremadu, however, said the last letter only served as a reminder of the first letter to him, in which he was asked to come in uniform.
More Details later…
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has suspended the implementation of its policy for duty payments on old vehicles, in order to resolve issues with the Senate Committee on Customs.
The Acting Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Joseph Attah, said this on Wednesday in Abuja.
Attah said in a statement, that the Management of Customs had directed that the exercise be put on hold and expressed its readiness to engage the Senate Committee on further discussions.
He said that the essence was to bring the Senate on board to understand the importance of the exercise to national security and economy.
“Following the tension generated as a result of misconception and misrepresentation of the NCS planned motor duty payment, the leadership of the National Assembly and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) met with a view to resolving the impasse.
They both agreed that the proposed motor duty payment, though in line with the provision of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap C.45, LFN 2004, should be put on hold.
While the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise interfaces with the NCS for further discussions.
Payment of duty on vehicles or any dutiable imported item remains a civic responsibility of every patriotic Nigerian,’’ Attah said.
The comptroller-general approved one month grace (from March 13 to April 12) for all Nigerian vehicle owners who have not paid duties to do so or face outright seizure of the vehicles.
And this applies even to new vehicles bought from car dealers.
The public relations officer said that some owners of vehicles brought into the country through the land borders, obviously, did not pay duty.
Colonel Ali had earlier written to Senate through an Assistant Comptroller-General, that he’d not be able to honour its invitation scheduled for Wednesday.
According to ThisDay, the letter, read at plenary on Tuesday morning, drew the ire of the senators who stated that by asking a subordinate officer, Assistant CG, to respond to its formal invitation and sign on his behalf, Ali had disrespected the institution.
President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly mediated between the Customs boss and the Senate, leading to Ali’s second letter.
Ali wrote to the Upper Chamber asking for another appointment. He also reportedly met with the leadership of the National Assembly Tuesday evening to resolve the impasse.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has asked rice traders at the popular Sango market, Ogun State to come forward with documents to show that their seized wares were cleared from the Nigerian Seaports.This was disclosed by the public relations officer of the Federal Operations Unit A, Ikeja, Jerry Attah over the weekend.
Recall that the federal government has placed a ban on importation of rice through the land borders saying rice can only be imported into the country through the seaports. Attah who also debunked allegations that the Customs Officers who raided the market carted broke into shops said the officers only raided a warehouse where the contraband were deposited.
He said,
“For the umpteenth time, I have said anyone who have document to show that the seized items were cleared from the seaports should come around to claim their wares.”
When asked how the contrabands were brought into the country without it being seized at the border, Attah said the rice were brought in through speeding motorbikes popularly known as Okada.
“The rice are carried through the border with bikes and transferred into waiting vehicles. You see some of this Okada riders having three, four bags of rice.
“Also, people who board public transport who move with one or two bags claiming they buy inother to consume, that is how they come into Nigeria.”
Attah who also disclosed that the Duty Paid Value on the rice is N12.4million said the unit seized 1,870 bags of rice and 43 kegs of groundnut oil. Recall that the FOU A Ikeja on Wednesday stormed the Sango market where it carted away bags rice and and kegs of groundnut oil which they said were smuggled into the country.
The raid did not go down well with the rice dealers who took to the ever busy Abeokuta- Sango expressway in protest blocking vehicular movement. The protest also paralysed business activities at the popular, Sango market as commuters were left stranded at various bus stop.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, the leader of the market Women, Alhaja W. Salako said the Customs officers came in the middle of the night broke into their shops to cart away rice worth several million of naira. She said
“they came in the middle of the night, broke into our shops and left with 15 trailers of rice and give Hilux load of rice.”
Alhaja Salako said about four other traders are already in the hospital receiving treatment over shock of the raid.
“They broke our safes; carted our monies and now, four of our members are in the hospital due to the shock.”
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