Maritime

Customs Target Zero-Hour Cargo Clearance

Published

14 years ago

March 29, 2012

Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘A’ Lagos, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)Alhaji Mohammed Othman, said on Sunday that the organisation was working toward achieving a zero-hour cargo clearance of goods.

Othman told newsmen in Lagos that only importers, who refrained from wrong classification and false declarations, would benefit from the zero-hour window.

He said it was an opportunity for importers, who were upright and whose declarations were honest, to reap from the cargo clearing window.

According to him, when you clear five containers without any blemish, for the sixth one, everything is done in your premises.

Othman, an Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, said it would be zero-hour because immediately the cargo arrived, it would be taken from the quay side straight to the importer’s warehouse.

He explained that examination and other issues would be carried out in the importer’s premises, apart from payment of import duty.

The Assistant Comptroller-General said, “If you are able to pay your duty in two hours, you take your goods and go’’.

He said a “faithful importer” would enjoy all the privileges of a green lane, where there would be no scanning and no examination, adding that an importer might also enjoy the privilege of a blue lane, which entailed only examination.

“If there is any Demand Notice, the importer pays,” Othman added.

He said that he was optimistic that the zone would exceed its revenue target, which, according to him, is 75 per cent of the total revenue set for all zones by the Service.

“We have very serious Area Controllers in place and we have highly motivated and well paid officers.

“Because of the training and motivation, everybody in the service is ready to give back to the administration enthusiastically and to reciprocate the kind gesture of the administration to ensure the target is met,’’ Othman said.

The Assistant Comptroller-General said to boost revenue, most of the identified revenue loopholes had been blocked.

Othman said, “For Customs agents and officers, who want to cut corners, the system will record them and they will be caught in a matter of time by the post-clearance audit team.

He said that there were no longer customs checkpoints on the highways, except those that could be found 40 kilometres from the border stations of Seme and Idiroko.

Maritime

Customs Kaduna Command Generates ?5b Revenue In Oct

Published

1 week ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kaduna Area Command, has achieved a new revenue milestone, generating ?5.16 billion in October 2025

The Area Command said the feat was the highest monthly revenue ever recorded.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Ridwan Yusuf, revealed this in a Statement made available to Journalists

The figure, Yusuf said, represent 96 per cent increase above the monthly target and a 196 per cent target performance.

Yusuf said that the command collected ?39.79 billion between January and October 2025, compared with ?24.06 billion generated during the same period in 2024 reflecting a substantial year,on year growth.

the Area Controller, Comptroller Saad Hassan, attributed the record performance to the dedication and professionalism of officers and stakeholders, in line with the modernisation agenda of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi.

He identified improved stakeholders’ engagement, digitalisation of excise operations, and enhanced officers’ motivation as key factors driving the Command’s success.

“The Command’s performance demonstrates the effectiveness of our current operational strategies and our unwavering commitment to national economic stability,” Hassan said.

He assured that the command would continue to sustain the momentum by facilitating legitimate trade and improving revenue collection mechanisms.

The Command also reaffirmed its resolve to uphold professionalism and integrity in line with the service’s overall mission of trade facilitation and economic growth.

By; Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

Shipper’s Council Advocates Sensitization Of Staff On NSITF Scheme

Published

1 week ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has called for proper Sensitization of staff on the proposed insurance scheme by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, NSC, Akutah Pius, made the call while playing host to a courtesy visit by NSITF officials to his office, in Lagos.

Represented by Director of Human Resources Management, Alhaji Mustapha Zubairu, Akutah emphasized the Nigeria Shipper’s Council commitment to prioritizing staff insurance and health, citing existing policies with positive impacts on employees’ lives.

He requested NSITF to strengthen its legal framework to enable the NSC to fully benefit from the scheme.

Earlier, the Team Head, NSITF’ Adegbite Oludotun said that the organization provides compensation for insured government employees in case of injury, disability, or death during active service.

While commending the NSC for registering with the scheme, Oludotun assured adequate compensation for employee claims and safety.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

Navy Rescues Six Male, Five Female Passengers From Drowning In Rivers

Published

1 week ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) of Nigerian Navy Service NNS has rescued six male and five female passengers from a sinking speedboat along Bonny waterways in Rivers state

This is contained in a Statement by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Ayiwuyor Adams-Aliu, and made available to newsmen, in Abuja.

Adams-Aliu said the rescue operation was carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny, along the Bonny River.

According to the statement, the boat, which departed Nembe Waterside Jetty in Port Harcourt for Coal Beach Jetty in Bonny Island, developed engine failure midstream and began taking in water near the Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne, Rivers State.

He said the swift response of the Naval patrol team under heavy rainfall prevented a major tragedy as all 11 passengers comprising six males and five females, were safely evacuated and taken to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Jetty for medical checks.

“The rescued victims were later handed over to the Marine Police for onward reunification with their families,”

The Naval spokesman said the Navy, in another Operation last wednesday, intensified crackdown on crude oil theft with the deactivation of multiple illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta.

He said personnel of FOB Escravos dismantled two sites at Obodo Omadino Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta.

“Similarly, the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER patrol team uncovered and deactivated another site with cooking ovens, reservoirs, sacks, jerrycans, and dugout pits filled with stolen crude and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil around Bakana and Isaka areas of Rivers.

“Also, personnel of FOB Bonny dismantled a refining site at Eyamba Community in Bonny Local Government Area, while NNS DELTA patrol team deactivated another at Opumani Creek in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta,”

Adams-Aliu said the operations reflect the Navy’s renewed commitment under the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to ensure maritime safety, protect national assets, and promote lawful economic activities.

The statement reaffirmed that the Nigerian Navy would sustain the momentum in its fight against crude oil theft and all forms of illegality within the nation’s maritime domain.

By: Chinedu Wosu