Customs Detains Container-Load Of Machetes In Onne Port
. Rakes In ₦54.9 Billion Into FG Coffers
. Baba Imam To Commission New Onne Training Centre Soon
By Abimbola Abdullahi
The Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command Onne, has detained one 20 ft container fully loaded with machetes, but the importer was unable to provide the end user certificate.
The container was imported through the Onne Port, without due documentation, hence it has since been detained.
26 other containers laden with various items, have been seized for violations or contraventions of various customs laws and breach of procedures.
Controller of Area 2 Command, Onne, Comptroller Baba Imam, said investigation is still ongoing to arrest the culprits and bring them to book as soon as possible.
Imam resumed at Onne in January this year and has since recorded ₦54.9 billion revenue,which translates to 16.3 percent of the 336 Billion target given to the command for the year.
When compared to the same period last year the Command had an increase in revenue of ₦1.1 billion. This figure was realized despite not having vessels berth in Onne Port for some time due to the election atmosphere.
Imam said, “We look forward to continuous rise in revenue generation in the coming months as we expect vessels to berth on our coastline within the next few weeks’.
In anti-smuggling activities, he said, “within the past few weeks, since I assumed office, it has been a harvest of seizures justifying our committed resolve to facilitating only legitimate trade in line with the provision of extant laws.”
The seized items include: 24 containers laden with refined vegetable oil comprising a total of 24,860 gallons of 25 and 10 litres La-Jonic vegetable oil. i.e (19,800 gallons of 25 litres and 5,060 gallons of 10 litres) with duty paid value of ₦833.1 million, (Based on false declaration and contravention of Schedule 3 Article 4 of C.ET)
Also seized were other two containers laden with 1,165 cartons of Analgin injection and Fireworks with other items. i.e (286 cartons of Analgin injection I.M.V) (2/5g/5ml) (Based on contravention of revised import prohibition guideline); 210 cartons of Banga, 273 cartons of W.Tail; 216 cartons of Coloured flowers; 180 cartons of Pops) (Based on absence of End user certificate).The total duty paid value for the two containers is ₦94.6 million.
The containers are currently in Customs government warehouse.
He said these seizures and detention were made base on infractions related to import guidelines, which includes: contraband goods, false declaration, lack of end user certificate requirement from the office of the National Security Adviser, lack of NAFDAC permit/license among others.
The seized cartons of Analgin injection has been handed over to NAFDAC.
” We shall continue to build on this robust relationship with other sister agencies to rid the society off criminal elements that are working against the interest of the country,” he said.
On the one 20 ft container of machete detained Imam said: “It is worthy of note that importation of certain controlled items like Fireworks and machete requires End-User Certificate which is under the purview of the Office of the National Security Adviser, such importations without the certificate are to be seized and forfeited to the Nigerian government.
“The federal Government bans the Importation of refined vegetable oil in order to promote local production by our local industries, which in turn creates employment for Nigerians and to boost foreign exchange through export of such products.
“The seized containers would be filed for condemnation at the federal High Court Port Harcourt and shall subsequently be forfeited to the Federal Government,” he said.
Imam said the command shall continue to blaze the trail in trade facilitation and revenue generation activities through the deployment of intelligence gathering, collaboration and synergy with other critical stakeholders for the actualization of our statutory mandate.
He further disclosed that the command’s conference/ training center is almost completed, and shall be commissioned in the next few weeks.
