Maritime

Customs Intercepts Goods Worth N80.8m

Published

13 years ago

September 21, 2012

The Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service
(NCS), Ikeja, said on Wednesday that it impounded 393 assorted contraband goods
estimated at N80.8 million in August.

Mr Uche Ejesieme, the Public Relations Officer of the unit,
stated this in an interview with the newsmen
in Lagos.

According to him, the
seizures of the goods were more than the 331 recorded in the same period in
2011. Adding that 256 seizures were
recorded in July.

“The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ is statutorily vested
with the responsibilities of suppressing smuggling in all ramifications. We
also provide security to the commands under the zone.

“In August this year, we‘ve recorded a total number of 393
seizures of various contraband goods, including vehicles.

“And the value of the seizures is put at N67,627,810 and the
payable duty is N13,207,624 and the duty paid value stand at N80,845,434 with a
total number of 34 suspects and most of the suspects have been charged to court
and some of the cases are pending at the Federal high court.’’

Ejesieme said that the Area Controller, Mr Dan Ugo, had been
trying to reduce smuggling activities based on the directives of the
Comptroller-General of Customs.

“Don’t forget that the smugglers, sometimes tend to be ahead
of you in terms of planning because they also have their own information. But
what we do is to be two steps or three steps ahead of them.

“That is why, on our part, we’ve strived to deploy further
strategies in ensuring that we track some of these smugglers and part of the
strategies is the use of intelligent network because the controller is an
expert in risk management and risk planning and cargo selectivity.

“He is also an expert in post-clearance audit and also an
expert in corporate governance.

“So all these has given us a kind of comprehensive advantage
and that is why I believe the CGC and his management decided to send a square
peg in a square hole in ensuring that these assignments are carried out.’’

He said that the unit was determined to ensure that the
incident of smuggling was reduced to bare minimum.

“We are also particular about poultry products because you
will also recall that with reference to the circular that came from the CGC and
management for the effect that we should ensure zero tolerance for importation
of poultry products.

“In the past months, we’ve arrested and destroyed about
5,000 cartoons of assorted poultry products and this is in line with the
expectations of the service.

“And we are also doing it because we need to protect our
local industries and we also need to ensure that we create jobs and we also
need to educate Nigerians on health implication of some of these things.”

He urged Nigerians to stop smuggling the poultry products
due to the health implication on the consumers.

Maritime

Lagos Ready For International Boat Race–LASWA

Published

5 days ago

September 22, 2025

The Tide

The Lagos State Government says it is fully prepared to host the forthcoming international boat race, assuring participants and residents of adequate safety on waterways.

The General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Emmanuel Oluwadamilola, while speaking to Newsmen, at the Weekend, said the state had over the years invested heavily in safety infrastructure to secure its waterways.

Oluwadamilola explained that Lagos had consistently enhanced facilities, making it the safest state for water transportation in Nigeria, with all necessary safety infrastructure in place.

He said patrol boats had been deployed, while collaboration with the Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy would ensure effective surveillance across the waterways.

He added that Lagos now operated a control room using advanced technology to monitor waterways, describing it as the best time to host such an event.

According to him, the government had also undertaken shoreline cleaning, provided security boats, and designated docking zones for vessels participating in the competition.

“We are delighted this race can now happen in Lagos, proving the state’s readiness and capacity to successfully host such an international event,” he said

Maritime

NCS Sensitises Stakeholders On Automated Overtime Cargo Clearance System

Published

5 days ago

September 22, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has sensitised stakeholders in Zones B and D ob the newly introduced Automated Overtime Cargo Clearance and Disposal System.

The sensitisation, held at the Customs Training College, Goron Dutse, Kano, at the Weekend, was themed ‘Driving Transparency, Efficiency and Accountability in Cargo Clearance’.

Speaking at the event, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the initiative was designed to deliver an efficient, transparent, and technology-driven process for managing overtime cargo clearance and disposal.

Represented by the Controller in charge of Post Clearance Audit Zone B, Mrs Deborah Adeyemi, Adeniyi said the system would address congestion, paperwork, bottlenecks, abandoned cargo and delays in clearance processes that had slowed economic activity.

“This initiative marks a turning point in our operations.

“With the Automated Overtime Cargo Clearance and Disposal System, we are demonstrating that Customs can be both a facilitator of trade and a guarantor of integrity,” the CGC said.

Adeniyi explained that the platform would enable the stakeholders, including consignees, customs brokers, terminal operators, and customs officers, to apply, track and receive approvals online without physical contact.

He said the system was backed by the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, which provides the legal framework for electronic processes, overtime cargo timelines and disposal consignments after 120 days, with provisions for condemnation, auction or other disposal methods.

The Custom’s boss listed the benefits to include transparency through time-stamped actions, accountability through strict timelines, efficiency in terminal operations and data integrity with all documents integrated on Customs servers.

He urged stakeholders across the commands in Kano/Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger and Kogi to familiarise themselves with the process, train their teams and constructively engage with Customs officers for effective implementation.

“The Nigeria Customs Service is not merely automating a process, we are transforming a culture.

“Delay, opacity and congestion are being replaced with efficiency, transparency and accountability,” the CGC said.

In his remarks, the Customs Area Controller, Kano/Jigawa Command, Mr Dalhatu Abubakar, assured the stakeholders that the command was committed to eliminating overtime cargo.

“As terminal operators, with proper sensitisation and capacity building, we have no reason to admit cargo as overtime in Kano.

“I urge you to take this opportunity seriously to achieve that,” he said.

Also speaking, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Headquarters, A. A Abdulkadir, explained that the system was not new but a digital transformation of the manual overtime cargo clearance process, which comes with added simplicity and efficiency.

The Chairman, Clearing Agents Association, Kano, Alhaji Hafiz Rilwan, on behalf of the stakeholders, commended the CGC for the initiative and pledged to support its implementation through wider sensitisation.

Maritime

Minister Tasks Academy On Thorough-Bred Professionals

Published

5 days ago

September 22, 2025

The Tide

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has charged the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) to remain committed towards producing thorough-bred professionals for the maritime industry.

Oyetola gave the charge at the 2025 third quarter Citizens’ and Stakeholders’ Engagement of the Institution, in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, with the theme ‘Implementation of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy for Onboard Training of Nigerian Merchants Navy Cadets and the Critical Needs of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria’.

Represented by the Deputy Director, Research, Planning and Statistics, MAN, Joshua Ayebameru, the minister urged the authorities of the institution not to compromise standards.

Oyetola said “Over the years, the academy has trained qualified personnel for the maritime industry. The academy remains a cornerstone institution in the maritime sector.

“Through its programmes, training, and commitment to excellence, the academy continues to produce the manpower required to keep the sector vibrant and competitive”.

Oyetola further stated that the engagement was to enable stakeholders brainstorm on how to advance Nigeria’s marine and blue economy through collaborations, training and innovation.

He insisted that seafarers, cadets, and other maritime professionals from the institution must be well-equipped to compete globally and to drive the growth and sustenance of the sector.

The minister called for stakeholders collaboration towards developing the maritime sector, saying, “the future of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy depends on all of us”

In his remarks, the Chairman of MAN’s Governing Council, Kehinde Akinola, said that the council had developed a comprehensive five-year strategic development plan for the academy.

Akinola said that the plan, when approved, would accelerate institutional reforms, enhance training standards, deepen industry linkages, and reposition the academy for greater efficiency.

He said that the governing council was partnering shipowners and operators to secure practical training for the cadets.

“It is an obligation because we must prepare our cadets to meet international standards,” he said.

Earlier, Dr Kevin Okonna, the Acting Rector of the academy, Dr Kevin Okonna, noted that the academy, within the past 10 months, had been repositioned to enhance teaching and learning.

Okonna said that the institution had been collaborating with maritime professional associations and the academy’s alumni to facilitate the employment of more maritime professionals.

“We have employed about seven marine professional lecturers to enhance cadets teaching and learning.

“We have also obtained the commitment of shipowners and their associations to provide onboard training opportunities for our cadets,” he said.