Seme Customs Abort Dead Rats, Birds Smuggling Into Nigeria

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Seme Command, has foiled the smuggling of dead rats, tiny birds into the country from neighboring Benin Republic.
Briefing newsmen in Lagos recently, the Customs Area Controllers (CAC) of the Command, Compt. Dera Nnadi, said his officers seized 1,160 pieces of dead rats, 1,102 pieces of dead tiny birds and 34 pieces of monkey skin.
Others are 2242 bags of foreign rice and seven tankers of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), 14 parcels of cannabis sativa, in the first quarter of 2023.
He further disclosed that the command also handed over $6m fake bills to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Nnadi added that other seized items included 550 pieces of donkey skin with duty paid value (DPV) of N10,689,504; six Maltese International Passports with the same picture of a lady but with different names, 2 Senegalese International Passports.
The seven tankers, he revealed, consisted of 227,610 liters of PMS with DPV of N51,075,684.
Others were, “three Togolese International Passports; Four Republic of Benin International Passports; One Republic of Niger International Passport and 10 International Driving License of these various countries were seized; and would be handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, in line with the Service desire to consolidate synergy between NCS and partner agencies.
“Also seized by the Command are 1,160 pieces of dead rats, 1,102 pieces of dead tiny birds, 34 pieces of monkey skin and 14 parcels of cannabis sativa”.
The Comptroller, however, said there was a shortfall in revenue recorded during the period, compared to what was recorded during the same period last year.
He also called for an urgent review of the Benin Republic policy which collects fees on goods in transit.
“Recall that I had earlier informed you that the economic policy of the Republic of Benin which charges fees on goods in transit to Nigeria constitutes tariff barriers to trade along the corridor. These affected the Command’s revenue and there is a need for urgent review.”
“One of the core mandates of the Service in Seme as elsewhere is trade facilitation. The Command is conscious of its strategic location as the foremost frontier for trade and tourism in West and Central Africa, particularly the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and the emerging African Continental Free Tade Area (AFCFTA).
“Nigeria has lots of potentials in both trade regimes considering its GDP, population and industrial capacity which is the highest in the West and Central Africa subregion and indeed Africa.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos